Ideals of Darkness 2: A Heroine's Return
by KeybladeWar15
Summary: Two years after her last journey, an 18-year old Hynden begins another one to take the League on again and rise as Champion. But along the away, she encounters old friends, and new challenges that lie in store for her. Non-Nuzlocke, OC protagonist, contains spoilers for Pokémon White 2 Version.
1. A Heroine's Comeback!

**Author's Note:** And thus begins another story from KeybladeWar15. I recently completed my White Nuzlocke, so I immediately started on the sequel's first chapter. I don't know how long it's going to be just yet, but there will be some new revelations and characters in this one! Also, it's not a Nuzlocke, so there won't be any fainting deaths anymore. PS, I added some new Pokémon from the training I did post-game in my regular White game. But, without any further ado at all, here's the beginning of our new story!

* * *

"_Hynden… how could you?"_

"_You've let us down, don't we matter to you…?_

"_O-Of course you guys do! You still mean the world to me-"_

"_Then why did you let us die? We could have had something, but you've failed us! Why…?"_

_"I'm sorry, all of you! I know I should've been stronger and saved you, but..."_

"_Why, Hynden, why? Why, why, why…?"_

_"Stop it, guys... Please, I'm begging you! I didn't mean to let you down!"_

_"Why, Hynden, why? Why did you let us die...? Why, Hynden, Why? WHY, WHY, WHY...?!"_

"STOP IT!" I shouted, bolting awake with sweat rolling down my face. For one moment, my vision went scarlet, but the color quickly faded to normal.

I slumped back into my bed, panting from another nightmare. I pulled the sweat-matted piece of hair until it merely sat above my scarred right eye again. I turned over my side and sighed, only for the door to my room to open and in came my 20-year old roommate, Taylor. Her caramel hair that was usually in a peppy upper bun was now messy and down, matching her weary dark brown eyes among her tired and worried expression.

"Nightmares again, Hynden?" she sighed, turning on my room light. "How come you keep getting all these bad dreams?"

"I wish I knew, Tay," I replied. "I think my Pokémon are trying to haunt me or something. And what happened two years ago with Zekrom hasn't been helping either…"

"Anything you need, roomie?"

"Nope. Just go back to bed, and I'll try to get a good night's sleep."

Taylor left for a moment without shutting the light off and returned with an Audino plush doll. She handed it to me, wished me good night, and went back to her own room after shutting the light off. I looked at the doll glumly and fell to my bed. Hoping for a good night's sleep, I clutched the doll close to me and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The following morning, I was greeted by the sound of my ringing alarm clock. Groaning wearily, I blindly searched for a certain spot on the Azurill-shaped device and shut it off. Rubbing the crust from my tired eyes, I looked at the calendar by my bed.

"Well, it's finally October 7th," I said to myself. "Today's the day I start training to get my title back. I'd better get ready!"

I crawled out of bed, took my bundle of clothes, and headed for the bathroom. After a relaxing 10-minute shower, I dried my knee-length chestnut hair and combed through each lock thoroughly. One by one, I put on my teal-green jeans with a violet skirt attached to it; a maroon t-shirt with an olive PokéBall symbol on the lower right side of the shirt, which was a larger size due to my increased "chest measurements" compared to two years ago; black and dark-olive shoes over salmon-colored ankle socks, and the silver-and-gold swirl-and-heart necklace containing one of Lulu's baby feathers. Looking in the mirror, I placed my long hair into a high ponytail, brushed a section of my hair so it covered my right eye, and topped it off with a blue-and-white cap centered with a red PokéBall.

"Okay, here I go!" I said to myself, exiting the bathroom.

Making my way down the stairs, I saw all of my Pokémon friends in the living room: Piko, Morrow (whose head was peering in from the window due to his size), and Bianca. Near them were the recruits I had met during my two-year absence: Skylar (my Breloom and Bianca's mate), Jewel (my Swanna; Morrow's elegant mate), Kiko (my Leavanny), and five younger Pokémon who were all their children. Curled up on the sofa next to Piko was Noah the Darumaka, fluttering onto the bookcase was Jane the Ducklett, sitting atop her father's head was Luci the Petilil, and playfully squabbling in the corner were the Sewaddle twins, Ivan and Ike, who were forced to stop what they were doing by Kiko.

"Hey, guys!" I greeted, waving.

"Good morning, Hynden," Skylar greeted. "Are you ready for your new journey?"

"I think so. But, it's gonna be a little hard without you guys."

"Well, ya can't break League rules," Bianca added. "With each Unova League challenge must come a new team."

"Ooh, a new team?!" Luci beamed. "Mama, can I go with Hynden?"

"Absolutely not!" Bianca objected. "You're still way too young to battle!"

"Aww, come on! Daddy, can I go?"

"I'm with your mother, Luce," Skylar answered. "You're not fully trained enough, so it's a no."

"Exactly. Besides, remember the _last _time I had to babysit you and the other kids?" I asked with a raised brow.

Luci pouted and puffed out her cheeks before hopping off of Skylar's head. I then turned to Piko, who looked at me with a sincere look as his daughter rolled onto his lap.

"Are you guys gonna be fine with Taylor for now?" I asked.

"Trust me, we will," Piko assured me. "Also, we trust you'll do fine on this journey like you did the last. Didn't 'Nuzlocke Syndrome' die down last year?"

"Yeah, but… I still can't help but feel like something terrible's gonna happen when I set out. What if, what if I don't control-"

"You can do it, my friend. I've known you the longest out of everyone, so I've got faith in you. You'll be able to pull through this, and before you know it, you'll be back on top!"

"Do you really think so, Peeks?"

"I know so, Hynden!"

"Yeah! I know you'll be great too, Hynden!" Noah added. "You trained my mommy and daddy, so what could go wrong?"

"You can do it!" Jane chirped.

"Don't give up, Hynden!" Ivan and Ike cheered.

Pretty soon, all the Pokémon in the room were giving me encouragements. My face couldn't help but crack into a huge smile at everyone's praise and hope for me. Just then, I heard the phone ringing from the kitchen. I said bye to everyone and left the room for it, only for Taylor to beat me to the punch.

"Hello?" she spoke. "Oh, you're Aurea Juniper! Mmm-hmm, yeah, today's the day. Bianca who? Oh, alright, I'll tell her. By, Professor!"

Taylor then hung the phone up and faced me with a smile. I gave her a confused look, though I did hear her say the names of people I knew from the past.

"Professor Juniper said you have to go meet up with an old friend of yours," she said. "Just look for a blonde girl with a green hat who's in town today, and you'll get your new starter."

"Hey, that sounds just like Bianca!" I exclaimed. "I wonder how she's doing…"

"Well, why don't you go find out? Come on, get a move on! Audino and I will look after your Pokémon friends, so there's nothing to worry about!"

"Oh, I trust you. After all, I couldn't have asked for a better roommate than a Pokémon Doctor in-training herself."

I grabbed my packed white shoulder bag adorned with a black PokéBall symbol in the middle. Beside it was an item I never thought I'd see again: Storm's Blade. Sighing, I figured I might need it, so I latched the scabbard onto one side of my belt.

"Here's to hoping those two years of also sword-training was worth it," I sighed once the katana and scabbard were in place.

I opened the door and went outside, the warm summer air and sun greeting me with open arms. I inhaled it through my nose, now feeling a little more peaceful at the beautiful weather we had that morning. But, the moment I started walking, I collided with someone and fell to the ground.

"Hey, watch where you're-" I was about to snap until I saw the extremely familiar face. "N-No way… it's you again!" I gasped, looking at the person with widened gray eyes.

* * *

**Pokémon obtained:** None.

**Boxed/Unboxed:** None.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I did say this wasn't going to be a Nuzlocke, so fainting no longer equals death. Also, I started a new game on White 2, so I'll have something more recent to work off of! PS, this is the month after Hynden's birthday, so she's now 18 years old! Her timeskip appearance is on my profile page, so check it cool! Also, Taylor looks exactly like the Black/White 2 mother since the mom didn't look all that old in the game. Stay tuned for Chapter 2, guys!


	2. Reuniting with an Old Friend!

**Author's Note:** The first five or six chapters are probably gonna be up today since I didn't wanna post this story as soon as I got done with the first one. So, it's a spontaneous update for ya! Also, for those of you a little confused about the character debuting in this chapter, see Ch. 20 of the first Ideals of Darkness. That should shed some light on them. Plus, how you feel about him might vary on the reader. Enjoy the second chapter!

* * *

After examining the boy with spiky black hair, dark blue pants, and a red jacket for a few seconds, I knew for a fact that it was definitely someone I knew. My very heart pounded with excitement at the sight of my old friend.

"Haley, what are you doing here?" I asked him.

"And how the hell do you know my name-" he was about to demand until he saw who he was talking to. "...No way…! Hynden, it's you! I've finally found you!"

Once he helped me off the ground, Haley pulled me into a tight hug. I hugged him back for a few seconds before trying to pull myself away, only for Haley to not let go. I tapped on his hand three times until he released me.

"Sorry," he chuckled, "you know how much I like long hugs with you."

"Naturally. So, when did you move to Aspertia? My roommate and I have been here for a couple of days."

"Last month. Things didn't go very well in Goldenrod, so Mom and Dad moved us here to the Unova region. I suggested it of course since I figured you'd still be here!"

"You really wanted to see me again that badly?"

"Of course! I've been miserable ever since you moved out of Johto!"

Just then, a little girl with hazel hair and teal eyes walked up to us holding a Purrloin doll. She looked at Haley with a cheeky smile, but when she saw me, she was curious.

"Big brother, is this your girlfriend?" she asked.

"G-Girlfriend?!" I yelped, surprised, "No, little girl, I-"

"Possibly," Haley answered with a mischievous smile and a blushing face. "Hynden, this is my little sister, Julia."

"Julia?! Oh my Arceus, I haven't seen you since you were two! You don't remember me, but I'm Hynden. I'm your brother's best friend."

"Hello, Hynden! You must be that girl Haley has a huuuuge crush on!"

"Julia!" Haley exclaimed, blushing deeper.

"But, it's true! You-"

"Okay, kiddo, that's enough. Shouldn't you be playing right now?"

"Yeah, I'll go home in a second, I came out here because I wanted to make sure you and Hynden are careful on your journeys." Julia's expression fell rather sullen as she looked at the Purrloin doll. "Make sure no one tries to take your friends, okay…?"

"Jules, I promise I'll make things right," Haley assured his sister, who was starting to cry. "I'm gonna find those thieves, and you'll be reunited with Minnie before you know it!"

"Minnie?" I asked, "Who's that?"

"It's a long story, Hynden. Right now, Julia needs to go back home. Mom and Dad are probably wondering where you are."

"Okay! Good luck, both of you! It was nice meeting you, Haley's girlfriend!"

As Julia walked back to her house, I found her statement to be both humorous and a little awkward. I always saw Haley as one of my best friends, so there was no way I'd wanna make things anymore complicated than they need to be, regardless of how he might still feel about me. My thoughts were interrupted by Haley pulling me close to him.

"So, what do you wanna do now?" Haley asked with a smile, not letting go of my hand.

"I need to find someone," I said to him. "When I do, I'm gonna start my journey so I can take my position as Champion back from Iris."

"You were the Champion?! Hynden, that's amazing! I'd bet you couldn't wait to get that, couldn't you?"

"Well, it was pretty exciting. But, I resigned when I realized I wasn't ready for the title yet. There was still lots I needed to get done, so I trained for two years and I just came back recently."

"Wow… lots can happen here, I guess."

I didn't say anything else to Haley, and instead started walking through the city. I searched and searched for Bianca, but I couldn't find her green hat or blonde hair anywhere. Just as I was continuing my fruitless search, Haley popped up behind me and surprised me.

"Don't do that!" I snapped.

"Sorry. You're clearly lost, so let me show you around," Haley insisted.

"Alright. If it'll help me find who I'm looking for, then go ahead."

Taking me gently by the hand, Haley guided me around the city. He showed me the Pokémon Center, the Gym, and some other buildings too. I looked up and saw a large lookout. The person who was on the lookout caught my eye; the blonde hair and green hat told me right away that's where I need to go.

"Haley, I found her!" I pointed out, taking him to the Aspertia Lookout.

"The Lookout?" Haley wondered. "Okay, let's go there, Hynden!"

My hand was still holding onto Haley's, which was starting to get rather sweaty. I looked at him with a raised eyebrow, but he gave me a nervous chuckle and a blushing face to tell me not to worry. Ignoring it for now, I climbed up the stairs and saw the same green hat looking out at the region. It was none other than Bianca, who was now wearing an orange jacket, spring green capris, and shoes of the same color as her jacket.

"Ah, Unova's so pretty," she sighed as I approached her, "I could stare at this spot for hours!"

"You'd get tired after sundown if you started now," I said to her humorously, looking out at the summer scenery.

"Gah!" Bianca yelped, jumping back before turning to me with increasing happiness in the pair of green eyes behind her red glasses. "H-Hynden…? You're back?!"

"That's right, Bee. Two years isn't forever, you know!"

"Oh Arceus, I missed you! I didn't think I'd ever see you again!"

Bianca placed the capsule on the bench and immediately hugged me. I returned the hug with no hesitation, elated about being reunited with my friend. I noticed Haley coming up the stairs, but his expression appeared rather shocked and dark when he saw me hugging Bianca. He quickly came over and disrupted the scene.

"Hello," he said in a strained tone before forcing a smile. "And who's this, Hynden? Why are you hugging this girl?"

"Haley, this is my good friend, Bianca," I introduced, pulling apart from Bianca and gesturing to her. "We've been tight ever since I moved to Unova!"

"Hi there! Hynden said your name is Haley?" Bianca asked, offering a hand for Haley to shake.

Haley stared at her hand for a few seconds with an obvious glare in his eyes, but he still accepted the handshake civilly. It didn't last long before Haley pulled his hand away and started hugging my arm.

"My name is Haley," he introduced. "And I've been Hynden's best friend in the entire world since we were little. So, remember that we're _very_ close to each other, and we have been longer than she's known you. Now, didn't you have something you wanted to give to her?"

"Oh, well that's nice! And yes, I did." Bianca picked up the capsule, and out came three PokéBalls, each with a symbol to their assigned type (a water bubble, a leaf, and a flame). "Professor Juniper told me to give this to someone special in Aspertia City," she explained. "I didn't realize she was talking about you! Go on, choose a Pokémon, Hynden."

I pulled my arm away from Haley and looked at the choices. I thought and thought, my eyes skimming the PokéBalls. Soon, I made a choice and picked up the PokéBall with the leaf symbol on it. Pressing the center button, out came a male Snivy, who looked at me once before turning away.

"Hey, you're my partner now!" I told him. "I'm Hynden!"

"Salutations," he greeted in an English accent, facing me and shaking my finger with his tiny hand. "I'm Tidus. I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Hynden."

"There's no need to be so formal with me. We're partners now!"

"Aww! I think your Snivy likes you already, Hynden! You're already pretending to talk to it!"

I remembered how Bianca couldn't linguistically understand Pokémon like I could, so I pretended to agree with her. Haley walked over to Tidus and looked down at him. They were both locked in a stare-off for a good minute before they refused each other eye contact afterwards.

"Hynden, you'd better take good care of this Snivy like Julia said, okay?" Haley asked me.

"I promise! I'm not gonna let anything bad happen to my Pokémon!"

"Great! That's the Hynden I know and love!"

"Oh, wait! Hynden, you also need a new PokéDex," Bianca pointed out, handing me a black PokéDex decorated with a red and bright blue PokéBall. "It's a new and improved version of the ones they had two years ago!"

"Thanks, Bee! This'll do nicely!"

I gave my blonde friend another hug, but it was cut short by Haley pulling me off of Bianca with another annoyed look. I shot him a glare that also had hints of confusion, so he stood straight up again.

"Something wrong, Haley?" I asked him.

"No no! Nothing at all…" he responded through gritted teeth as he shot Bianca a nasty glare. "I just… I need to find a PokéDex myself is all. Ya got a spare or something, Bianca?"

"As a matter of fact, I do! Oh, how lucky you are, Haley!" Bianca chirped, handing Haley the black PokéDex decorated with a blood red PokéBall.

"Thanks," he hissed before turning to me. "Hynden! Now that we've both got Pokémon of our own, what's say we have a little battle?"

"Sounds great! But, where's your Pokémon? I didn't see you take one from Bianca."

"That's because I've got my own partner! I raised it myself from an Egg!"

Standing across from me, Haley threw a PokéBall into the air, and out came a little Tepig, all ready to fight. Tidus walked forth without my command, still looking extremely calm despite his opponent's determination.

"Ready?" Haley asked me.

"Uhh, one second," I said. "Are you ready, Tidus?"

"That I am, Miss Hynden," Tidus answered. "Commence battle."

"You can scan your Pokémon for their current moves using your PokéDex!" Bianca hinted. "Isn't technology great?"

"Thanks, Bianca! Okay, Tidus, use… Tackle!" I read from my PokéDex.

Tidus charged in and used his tail to strike Tepig in the face. Tepig retaliated by using the same move on Tidus, only this one dealt more damage. Tidus fell to the ground, rubbing his sore cheek.

"Tepig, use Tackle again!" Haley commanded.

"Dodge it, Tidus!" I exclaimed.

My new Snivy swiftly jumped out of the way of the attack, leaving Tepig open for another Tackle attack. When it happened, the Fire-type fainted in defeat.

"I lost," Haley sighed, recalling Tepig to its PokéBall. "Well, I should have expected this the moment I challenged the ex-Champion. At least I know you haven't been shirking all this time, Hynden!"

"Hey, you're not so bad yourself, Hales," I commented, giving Haley our personal handshake of partially intertwining fingers and wiggling them around before pulling apart. "Now, I gotta stop at the Pokémon Center and pronto. Then after I train a little, I'm gonna find the first Gym. ...Wherever that is."

"Look no further!" Bianca assured me. "It's here in Aspertia City!"

"It is? Wow, that's conveniency at its finest! Who's the Gym Leader?"

"Oh, you'll see. And when you do, you'll like the answer!"

"Got it. Ya coming, Haley?" I asked him.

"In a bit, Hynden. I just wanna have a little word with Bianca first," Haley insisted.

"Okay! See you soon, man!"

I walked down the lookout stairs, glancing back to see Haley's expression turn dark again as he approached Bianca with the same expression. Although I was a little worried for both of them, I had an important task to take care of, so I kept walking with hopes that things would go well.

* * *

**Pokémon obtained:** Tidus the Snivy, Male, Quiet nature, Sturdy body.

**Boxed/Unboxed:** None.

* * *

**Author's Note:** For Tidus' voice, I like to use Estelle (voice of Garnet on Steven Universe) since Tidus speaks with an English accent and he has that type of demeanor to him. I don't know if his voice will change when he evolves, but we'll see what happens. Stay tuned for Chapter 3, which is coming real soon!


	3. And So Begins The Journey (Again)!

**Author's Note:** Here's chapter 3! There isn't too much that happens save for a new recruit and another reunion. But, things will eventually pick up in this story. I'll try and make it exciting even though it's not a Nuzlocke. Also, seeing them remember the protag is nice to see, so that's why Hynden's still the main character. But, I digress. Enjoy the chapter, and happy reading!

* * *

I easily found the Pokémon Center, and I went in to heal Tidus. When I entered the building, I saw Taylor conversing with a girl aged around 19 years who wasn't Nurse Joy, but I assumed she was her assistant. The girl had deep green shoulder-length hair and brown eyes, and she was wearing a light blue apron over a white T-shirt.

"I'll see you later, baby," the girl at the counter said to Taylor affectionately before kissing her on the lips as Taylor returned the favor.

"Yep. We're still on for dinner later tonight, right, Carrie?" Taylor asked when she pulled away from the kiss.

"That's right, Tay. See you then, sweetie."

When my roommate turned around, she jumped at my sudden appearance. But, she calmed down and handed me a Town Map, which I took and placed into my bag after thanking her.

"I've actually been looking for you, Hynden!" Taylor told me. "I figured you'd be at the Pokémon Center after a tough battle, but I couldn't find you. At least I was lucky enough to run into my girlfriend!"

"Did you come here to give me the Town Map?" I asked.

"Well, yeah. I let you take it after all! I thought you'd need the latest model of it since the region's changed since your last journey!"

"In that case, thanks, Taylor! Good luck on your hot date tonight, by the way!"

"Thank you too! Oh! I also wanted to give you these!"

Taylor handed me ten PokéBalls before leaving the Pokémon Center. Once they were stashed away into the specific section of my bag, I walked up to the front desk so Carrie could heal Tidus up. When that was over, I took Tidus' PokéBall back, thanked her, and left. Outside of the Pokémon Center, I saw that little Julia was standing outside with another Town Map.

"M-Miss Haley's girlfriend?" she asked innocently, handing me the Town Map. "Can you give this to my brother when you see him?"

"Sure, Julia," I agreed, taking the Town Map. "And please, just call me 'Hynden'. It's my name, after all."

"Okay, Hynden! I'll see you later!"

Julia ran back towards her home while I headed towards Route 19 to train. When I walked through the gates, I saw Bianca staring at the tall grass blowing in the summer breeze. She saw me joining her by her side as I walked closer.

"Just like Route 1, hmm?" she wondered.

"Yep," I agreed. "Brings back memories. Back when we were just a couple of kooky 16-year olds, not knowing what was in store for us."

"But now, we're older and wiser! And we know better on what to do now!"

"That's right! After all my soul-searching, I've been pushed a little further on what I need to do!"

Bianca was about to nod and agree until her eyes widened with shock as if remembering something. She began backing away from me and would have bolted off if not for my quick reflexes grabbing her.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Erm, I just remembered something!" Bianca answered, "I'm not supposed to be too close to you!"

"Why not? You're one of my best friends!"

"Yeah, but earlier… Haley threatened me and told me that I shouldn't get too close to his best friend in the world. Though now that I think about it, he seems to think you're much more than that to him. If that scary look in his eyes meant anything."

"What, Haley? C'mon, Bee! He was probably just messing around with you! He'd never physically harm a girl for no reason; it's against his code! Besides, it's fine to be around me; we're friends, remember?"

"Y-Yeah… I know. But, I have stuff to do anyways! Umm, see you later, Hynden! Train hard, and good luck on this journey!"

Bianca bolted back to Aspertia City in fear, making me scratch my cap in curiosity. I knew Haley was pretty attached to me, but I never recalled him to be the type of person to drive people away from me out of nowhere. However, I thought nothing of it and decided to see if Haley was in the next town over.

Along the way, I trained Tidus by having him fight off several different Pokémon we encountered in the Route. He found himself pitted against a Patrat, but the little rodent was defeated in seconds by Tidus' new Vine Whip attack.

"Great job, Tidus!" I encouraged him as he gave me a low-five with his vine.

"Thank you, ma'am," he said to me in his stoic tone and English accent. We both heard a rustling sound, prompting Tidus to prepare his Vine Whip again. "Hynden, stand back! I sense another threat!"

Out of the tall grass sprung a Purrloin, its claws sharp and pouncing straight at Tidus. Although it managed to use Scratch on him, Tidus fought back with Tackle and a Vine Whip. Before he could attack it any further, I held my Snivy back.

"I think we could use a new recruit," I told him, tossing the PokéBall at Purrloin.

Purrloin was sucked inside of the PokéBall in a red light. The Ball shook slowly three times before it finally clicked shut. I let my new teammate out of its PokéBall, only to find that Purrloin was asleep.

"H-Hey, wake up!" I said, shaking it awake.

"Nyah… can't a lady have a nice little snooze?" she asked. "After all, if I'm going to be stuck with you peasants, I deserve to sleep in a little."

"What's your name, cat?" Tidus asked.

"Eris. And who is it I'm speaking to presently?"

"I'm Tidus, and this is our Trainer, Hynden. Now that you're part of our team, you're coming with us to the town beyond this route."

"And what's in it for me?" Eris yawned.

"Uhh, new sights? Battle experience? Completing the League?"

"Nyah, not interested. But!" she spoke, "If you're completing the Unova League, then I wish to see the glorious sights and stars of Nimbasa City. After all, a queen such as myself deserves to see Unova's best city! Perhaps by then, I'll have more motivation to be of your assistance."

"Okay, I'll take you to Nimbasa…" I agreed.

I recalled the now-sleeping Eris back to her PokéBall and continued down the Route. Just as I was nearly out, Tidus and I encountered another Pokémon. To my surprise, it was a Patrat. Tidus was about to attack it with Vine Whip, but I quickly stopped him from doing so due to my memories of an old friend.

"Don't… don't hurt it, Tidus," I told him, my voice tone full of sadness. "I'll just see if I can catch it on its own."

"But that lowers your chances," Tidus insisted. "Why don't you want me to fight it?"

"Just don't, okay? Let me catch it."

When Patrat wasn't looking, I tossed a PokéBall at it. Luck was apparently on my side, because the PokéBall successfully clicked shut after shaking slowly three times in a row. As I did with Eris, I let my new catch out of its PokéBall, and he merely stared up at me.

"What was that about?" he asked, "If ya wanted me ta come with ya, all ya had ta do was ask, lady!"

"Sorry. I just didn't feel comfortable with battling you first," I sighed. "See, there's this late friend of mine who's a Watchog, and she-"

"Say no more! I understand. The name's Timon. What's yours, toots?"

"Hynden. Welcome aboard, Timon!"

"And I'm Tidus," Tidus introduced, extending his small hand until Timon shook it. "We're on our way to the next town over."

"Well, what're we waitin' for? Let's go!"

In the blink of an eye, Timon started running off, prompting Tidus and I to chase after him. But after a solid ten minutes of the chase, we realized that Timon was leading us in circles.

"Timon, are you certain you're aware of the right direction?" Tidus panted, him and I still chasing our swift new friend.

"'A course, kid! We Patrat and Watchog are born with keen senses of direction!" Timon insisted, still running the wrong way. "I just gotta find the rest of the path first!"

Seeing this wild goose chase going nowhere, I recalled Timon back to his PokéBall after he got lost for the fifth time. I placed the Ball back onto my belt as Tidus and I began searching for the correct way.

"Never before did I ever think I'd meet a Patrat with a broken inner compass," Tidus remarked with a bored and annoyed look in his eyes.

"_At least Toothie knew where she was going…"_ I thought before speaking to Tidus again. "According to my Town Map, Floccessy Town should be right around the corner! All we have to do is pass this cliff!"

The moment Tidus and I found the cliff and started walking past it, we stopped dead in our tracks when we heard a loud male voice of excitement from above.

"And who is that lovely young woman I see below me?!" the voice shouted. "Why, it's none other than the one and only, the mighty heroine of Unova, Hynden!"

"Who's calling my-" I was about to ask until I looked up. "Oh my Arceus, Alder! It's good to see you again, sir!"

"The feeling's mutual, my young Champion-in-the-remaking!" he chuckled, leaping down from the cliff in front of us. Standing up straighter, Alder winced as we heard a few of his joints crack, but his smile never left his face. "Are you ready to take the League on again?"

"I… I think I am!" I answered a little hesitantly. "Hopefully my two years of training has prepared me for it."

"That's okay. There's no need to rush things. After all, Unova's at peace because of you, so there's no Team Plasma to spoil everyone's fun! Now, where are you headed off to, Hynden?"

"Tidus and I are looking for a place called 'Floccessy Town'," I told him as Tidus held the Town Map up with his vines.

"Floccessy Town? Hey, that's where I live! Lemme show ya the way!"

Alder herded me in his direction like a shepherd would their Mareep. Before I knew it, I finally reached Floccessy Town. I looked around at the simple and rural town. It was nothing out of the ordinary, but still a unique town in the Unova region I had never seen before today.

"Well, this is my hometown! It ain't much, but it sure is a nice place to live!" Alder said. "Say, why don't you stop by the Pokémon Center? Your Pokémon are probably tired by now. I'll catch up with you later for a special task, so see you then!"

When Alder left, I heeded his word and went inside of the Pokémon Center to heal my growing team's possible injuries. After that had been taken care of and I purchased a few Potions for the road, I left the building to start tracking down Haley in order to give him the Town Map Julia had entrusted me with.

* * *

**Pokémon obtained:** Eris the Purrloin, Female, Modest nature, Often dozes off.

Timon the Patrat, Male, Calm nature, Likes to run.


	4. Shocking Encounters at Floccessy Ranch!

**Author's Note:** I'm starting to run out of ideas for Author's Notes, so they may not appear very often unless I really have something to add to the chapter. Just a heads' up. Blabbity blabbity, Happy Reading, everyone!

* * *

The search around the entire town lasted a good twenty minutes before I found no sign of my childhood friend. So, I decided to check outside of town instead. I followed my Town Map's directions towards Route 20, only to be stopped by a kid wearing an orange jersey, black shorts, and a tangerine-colored cap.

"You, me, battle!" he said so suddenly, calling out his Patrat before I had the chance to say anything.

"I guess we're battling then," I sighed, deciding to use Eris to battle.

When she came out, my Purrloin was still taking a nap, only to wake up so suddenly and look around at her surroundings.

"What's the meaning of this?" she demanded to know. "Are you sending me out in a battle?"

"Uh, yeah. That's the point, Eris."

"No, uh-uh. I refuse to get my claws dirty for petty reasons such as this.

"Listen, you! You don't have a choice! We just got back from the Pokémon Center, so you're in perfect condition to battle!"

"That doesn't mean I want to, though-"

Patrat attacked Eris with Tackle when her guard was down, sending her skidding across the ground. Her once-sleepy eyes turned irked, her claws becoming visible as she pounced at Patrat with Scratch. She kept scratching it and scratching it until I pulled her off of the wounded Pokémon.

"Okay, I think that's enough, Eris," I told her as her anger mitigated.

"You win," the kid said, paying me a measly 64 PokéDollars.

I sent Eris back to her PokéBall and moved past the boy and across the bridge. I searched high and low for Haley all over the Route. No matter where I looked, he wasn't anywhere in sight. I came across a sign that said "Floccessy Ranch", so I decided to check it out for the chance that he'd be there.

"_Maybe he's in here,"_ I pondered in my head, "_but what would Haley be doing at a-"_

I let out a yelp of surprise as someone placed their hands around my eyes. I was about to strike out in self-defense when I heard the voice I was looking for this entire day. He took his hands away from my eyes and wrapped his arms around my body from the back.

"Who's the ninja, Hynden?" Haley asked with affection.

"Hi, Haley," I greeted. "I've been looking all over for you!"

"Huh, so now it's a paradox? At least we're finally reunited! ...Again!"

"Your sister wanted me to give this to you."

I reached into my bag and gave Haley the Town Map. He looked at the item with a warm smile and put the Map into his own bag. But, then he took out a PokéBall from his belt.

"Now that you're here, Hynden," he said, "I challenge you to a battle! Whaddya say, old friend?"

"I'd say bring it on, man!" I agreed, throwing one of my PokéBalls out in the open. "Tidus, go!"

At the same time Haley's Tepig appeared, Tidus was called out of his PokéBall too. Tidus was faster, so he attacked with a Tackle attack, shoving Tepig across the field.

"Ace, use Tail Whip!" Haley commanded.

Ace waved its springy tail in a distracting manner, which made Tidus focus his attention on the possible trick it was trying to pull. Before he knew it, Ace attacked with a critical Tackle, leaving Tidus winded.

"Uhh, Tidus, you use Tackle too!" I decided after spraying him with a Potion.

Tidus charged in at Ace with all of his might, leaving a critical hit on the Tepig. Then, both Pokémon used a simultaneous Tackle and Vine Whip attack on each other, facing away from the other when the attack struck. In the end, Ace fell to the ground unconscious, even though Tidus lost his balance.

"Return," Haley said, recalling his Tepig after I healed my Snivy and recalled him. "I'm sorry about that, Ace. I'll try much harder with you next time. As for you Hynden, great job as always! At least I know now you're definitely the girl I can count on for backup!" Haley reached into his bag, searched his cooled lunch pouch, and pulled out something that made my mouth start to water. "By the way, I thought you'd like a little snack."

"W-Watermelon slices?!" I beamed as Haley handed me the slices of red fruit with black seeds. "Oh my Arceus, thanks! It's been so hard to get my hands on some this entire month before it sells out!"

"Hey, how could I forget your favorite?" Haley replied, smiling as I chowed down on the delicious and juicy fruit.

I carefully avoided swallowing the black seeds and instead ingested the sweetness of the red fruit they once resided in. Looking at Haley with a mischievous look in my visible left eye, I began spitting the seeds at him, and he reacted by covering his cheek and laughing.

"Heh, come on, Hynden!" he chuckled, running away as I kept spitting watermelon seeds like a BB gun. "No fair! I don't have any ammo!"

"Look, now I'm using Bullet Seed!" I laughed, spitting more tiny watermelon seeds playfully.

He ran around the ranch away from me until I finally ran out of seeds to spit at him. Even then, we were both laughing merrily like old times before I moved to the Unova region. Haley started playfully chasing me until I fell into the pile of hay behind the open fence, and he pinned me to the pile with a warm, yet rather loving gaze.

"I've got you, Hynden," he purred, his smirking face turning rather rosy as he discovered our foreheads were making direct contact when the bill of my cap was pushed back.

"I guess you do, Haley," I laughed back, pushing his face up so I had some breathing room.

"Hey, who're you two?" a female voice asked.

Haley and I were startled by the sudden appearance of the person, causing both of us to fall back-first into the hay pile until Haley rolled completely off of it and I straightened out my right eye's peek-a-bangs while picking hay out of my hat and long ponytail. We saw the voice belonged to a young woman standing beside her just-as-young husband. The woman had a rather satisfied smile on her face as she looked at us.

"Ah, young love," she sighed, looking at her husband. "Kinda like us before we got married, right, Lester?"

"You know it, Eunice," Lester agreed, placing an arm around his wife.

"L-Love?!" I squeaked, doing a double-take. "No no! Haley's just my best friend is all! Nothing more, okay?"

"Y-Yeah… nothing more!" Haley piped up after hesitating in a somber-sounding tone. "We didn't mean to intrude on your ranch!"

"Nah, it's okay!" Eunice insisted. "Lester and I love company! Besides, you couldn't have chosen a better time to come!"

"See, we've got this Herdier," Lester explained as one Herdier walked up sadly. "Poor girl's lost 'er mate, so we need help finding him."

"You lost your other Herdier?!" Haley gasped. "Say no more! Hynden and I will help you find it! No one deserves to be separated from their Pokémon partner forever!"

Without even waiting for me, Haley bolted off in the other direction. Eunice sprayed all three of my PokéBalls with a Potion each in case they sustain more damage, and I was able to chase after Haley again.

"Haley, wait for me!" I called after him, catching up to his hasty self soon. "Any luck?"

"Nope! Not a Herdier in sight!" Haley answered.

I noticed a Mareep close-by, the Pokémon making me smile due to the rarity of seeing Pokémon native to my home region in Unova. I walked over to it and got its attention by clearing my throat.

"Excuse me, have you seen a Herdier nearby?" I asked it.

"Hmm, well, one of them is with the farmers," Mareep answered, "but I believe I saw her mate go down that path. He must have seen something and followed it…"

"Thanks! Haley, let's go down there! Follow me!"

Haley did as instructed as I trekked into the forest path. As we walked, we searched every corner and tree for Herdier until we heard a cry of fear. I heard the cry come from the north, so I told Haley to follow me there. But, I soon lost track of the Herdier's sounds.

"I know I just heard it!" I insisted.

"Yeah, so did I," Haley agreed. "I'll check here, and you check over there!"

I walked in the opposite direction of Haley. I heard the Herdier's fearful noise again coming from beyond a couple of trees, so I turned the corner and went into the grove. But, what I saw was the opposite of pleasant. My eyes widened as I gasped in total shock at the sight of an orange-haired person wearing a uniform I hoped to never see again for the rest of my life. The blazoned symbol alone was enough to fuel my anger, but I restrained my hand when I felt it spark real magic electricity again.

"Team Plasma!" I shouted, storming up to the Grunt.

"I've been spotted!" they gasped, suddenly abandoning the missing Herdier and almost ran past me.

Before they could even think to escape, I unsheathed Storm's Blade, pinned the Grunt to a nearby tree, and held the sharp part to their neck. I had no intent of actually causing harm to them, but if they didn't tell me the information I wanted, then they'd be one unfortunate sucker.

"You have to the count of ten to tell me why Team Plasma's back before I gouge out your windpipe," I threatened, holding the blade closer. "One… two…"

"H-Ha! A-As if I'd really tell you!" the Grunt mocked. "Y-Your dumb katana doesn't scare me!"

"_EIGHT_. _NINE…!_"

"Okay okay, it does scare me! A lot! But, all I can tell you is we're part of the new legion of Team Plasma after some girl split up the old one a couple years ago! Oh, please don't kill me! This is my first day on the job, and my boss wouldn't like it if I spilled all the beans to you!"

Rolling my eyes, I released the cowardly Grunt and took my katana blade from their neck. Forgetting all about the Herdier beside us, they ran off in a panic. I crouched to the ground and faced the Herdier, who started licking me with joy when it saw the Neo-Plasma Grunt was gone.

"Hahaha! Okay okay, down!" I chuckled, getting the Herdier off of me. "Everything's alright now, little Herdier."

"Oh, thank you very much, Miss! That person lured me with a Pachirisu squeak toy, and I thought it was real. But, I guess my habit of chasing them really bit me in the butt this time… Again, I can't tell you how thankful I am you saved me!"

Just then, Haley came into the grove with Herdier's mate and Lester. The female Herider immediately rushed over and nuzzled noses with her lost mate. While Haley looked just as relieved as Lester, his face was also much more worried, as if he was the one who lost Herdier.

"You've found it!" Lester cheered, hugging his lost Herdier. "Thank you so much you two! Your help is so appreciated!"

"How are you so calm about this?" Haley asked, "Your Herdier could have been lost forever, and I'd bet you wouldn't be able to live with yourself, now would you?"

"Of course not! But, the important thing is Herdier's safe and sound! Are you okay, young man?"

"I'm just peachy! Absolutely serene, sir! I'm probably the most calm person in this forest right now!" Haley bellowed, the worry and stress obvious in his tone before it calmed when I patted his head. "Ah… thanks, Hynden. I needed that. How did you find Herdier before I did?"

"It was over here in this grove. I rescued it from Team Pla-"

I stopped my words the moment Haley faced me with shock in his red eyes. I thought of a way to change my words, lest I exacerbate any other reaction from him (even if I didn't see any reason he would).

"I rescued it from… those trees! You see that really tight part? Herdier got its leg trapped between it, and I pulled it out."

"That's not true!" Herdier objected, "You saved me! Saved me from a mean person with orange hair who lured me with a fake Pachirisu!"

There was never a moment where I was more than thankful to be the only person in this grove who could understand what Herdier was saying. My relief grew when Lester chuckled and passed off Herdier's apparent barks as nothing.

"Its thanking you some more, and it can't control its joy!" Lester believed. "Again, thank you both, Hynden and Haley. We couldn't have found our lost Herdier without you! Now come on, Herdiers, let's go home. Eunice is probably worried sick now!"

Lester left the grove with the two Herdier, but I saw that Haley was still vexed about the whole thing. He was repeating something to himself, but I couldn't make out what it was.

"Haley, what's wrong?" I asked him, "Ever since Julia told us to take care of our Pokémon, you've been more wound up than a music box!"

"It's fine, Hynden!" he insisted. "Let's just say recent events have gotten me more in a rage than ever!"

"Is that even possible for you?"

"Well, now it is!" he snapped. His tone thankfully calmed again. "Sorry, I've just had so much stress lately. What with years of being separated from you, and now what happened, things have taken a toll on me. I think I'm just gonna go since you probably have Gyms to tackle and stuff."

"Let's keep in touch. I'll register you in my new Xtransceiver."

Without hesitating, Haley's face broke into a huge grin as he turned his on. When I activated mine, we held the wrist-devices close to each other until a high-pitched _PING-PONG-PING_ sounded off. I checked my contacts and saw Haley's name on the list.

"There, now it's official," I decided.

"At least I can finally keep in touch with you more frequently," Haley remarked with joy in his tone. "Now I don't have to worry about not seeing you again whenever we're separated! Thanks and good luck, Hynden!"

Haley bolted off in the opposite direction, leaving me to find my way back to the Floccessy Ranch. I remembered where he ran, so I followed that path until something bounced onto my shoulder. I looked down and saw it was an Azurill.

"Surrender, human!" she giggled playfully. "You're now my prisoner!"

"Aww, where'd you come from, little one?" I asked, picking her off my shoulder and into my palms.

"Don't call me little!" she snapped, now angry. "I may be just a kid, but I'm the toughest little Azurill around! You can call me Michi, but what can I call you?"

"Hynden. Y'know, I could use someone like you on the team. Why don't you tag along, and I'll train you so you'll be even tougher!"

"Sounds like a plan, Trainer! Consider me recruited!"

I took a PokéBall from my bag and tapped its tip to Michi's ear. She went inside in a flash of red light, and her release was made official when it clicked shut after three shakes. With a new teammate in my party, I arrived back at the Floccessy Ranch and bid farewell to Lester, Eunice, and the two Herdier one last time.

"By the way, Hynden," Eunice spoke, "you may wanna be careful near that patch of grass o'er there."

"Why? What's gonna happen?"

"Well, there's this little Riolu that lurks around that patch, and he's not all too friendly with 'outsiders'. After what's happened to him before we took him in, we don't hold it against him."

I saw the patch of grass Eunice was pointing to rustle and shake. Despite her objections, I got closer to it until something sprang from the grass. As Eunice said, it was a Riolu, and he immediately charged to attack me head on.

"Back away, outsider!" he exclaimed as he jumped closer.

"Eris, help!" I shrieked, tossing her PokéBall. "Use Assist!"

When she came out of her PokéBall, Eris' paws glowed white before she summoned a random Vine Whip attack copied from Tidus. Just as the Riolu was about to attack, Eris tied him up with the vines until he couldn't move.

"Lemme go! Stupid cat, let me go now!" he demanded.

"Now now, why don't we talk things over instead of attacking my Trainer like that?"

"Why should I?! You shouldn't be defending a human anyways! Most of 'em are disgusting creatures! The only ones I can trust are Lester and Eunice, but that's it! They'd never hurt me!"

"I wouldn't either, little Riolu," I said to him, kneeling down at him.

"Then why am I stuck in these vines with this stupid cat girl?"

"Watch your tongue, mutt," Eris hissed, tightening the vines a little in anger.

"I only called Eris out because you tried to attack me first. Why don't you calm down first, and I can help you build trust? My name's Hynden, this is of course Eris, and you're…?"

"...Perseus," he answered. "Percy for short, but only Lester and Eunice can call me that! And how could you help me build trust? If you think I'm coming with you, then you've got another thing coming!"

Eunice then walked over to the scene. Percy looked up at her and saw the sincerity in her eyes. Eunice knelt down at Percy and started speaking to him, despite not knowing what he's saying.

"Percy, look," she sighed. "Lester and I know about your experiences with humans and what happened to your pack before we found you, but this is getting out of hand. You can't just keep attacking every human visitor that sets foot near you; it ain't right."

Percy looked away from Eunice with stubbornness and pain written all over his face, but Eunice made the little Riolu look back at her again.

"Percy, please," Eunice begged. "I'm asking ya nicely; give this young girl a chance. Now, Lester and I love you so much, but we think if you go with Hynden, then she can help you. You'll become more attached to other people outside of the ranch. This girl, she and her friend helped us find Herdier, so she's definitely more than trustworthy! If not for her, then try it for us?"

The Riolu looked down again as he began trembling. Tears started welling up in Percy's eyes as he ran to hug Eunice and bury his face in her chest. But, then he looked her in the eyes again and nodded his head yes, much to my delight.

"That's my big boy," Eunice chuckled, putting Percy down. "Now go on now, join her. You're more than welcome to come visit us any time you'd like!"

"Hynden," Percy spoke, making eye contact with me, "Let's go. I'm ready to be recruited."

I tapped a PokéBall to Percy's head, and in he went in a red light. The Ball shook slowly three times and clicked shut. Although Percy was now an official member of the team, he still came out of his Ball on his own will to tearfully say bye to Eunice again.

"I'm gonna miss you, Mrs. Eunice…" he sniffled as Eunice pulled him up into a hug.

"I'm sure gonna miss you too, Percy," Eunice responded just as tearful, assuming that's what Percy said to her.

They hugged for a few more moments before Eunice let Percy on the ground. He waved bye to her again as we started to walk away from the Ranch. Eris was back in her PokéBall, so it was just Percy and I on the route back to Floccessy Town.

* * *

**Pokémon obtained:** Michi the Azurill, Female, Relaxed nature, Quick-tempered.

Percy the Riolu, Male, Naughty nature, Mischievous.

**Boxed/Unboxed:** None.


	5. The First Study Break! (VS Cheren)

**Author's Note:** Well guys, we've reached the first Gym Battle! I'm sure you'll all know who the Gym Leader is since this game is far from new. But, there are some interesting things that unfurl in this chapter, I'll give you that much. So, to find out what it is, go on and read! Enjoy!

* * *

As Lester and Eunice got further out of sight, I noticed Percy was looking melancholic at having to say goodbye to his former owners. When I tried getting his attention, he'd barely speak a word to me.

"Chin up, Percy-" I started.

"_Perseus_," he insisted. "We're not 'friends', so you're not allowed to call me by my nickname!"

"Sorry," I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "Anyways, _Perseus_, I think you're gonna like everyone! Eris might be a little hard to connect to, but there's probably another side of her we don't know about yet! Tidus can seem emotionless, but he's nice too! As for Timon and our other new recruit, Michi-"

"Look. I couldn't care less about you or your little prisoners, but I'm only coming with you for Eunice and Lester. They were the only humans I'll ever care about; almost like another family to me! And I honestly want nothing to do with any of you!"

"...Fine then. You are the rudest Riolu I've ever met!"

"Yep. You'd better get used to it, human."

Scoffing, I recalled Percy to his PokéBall. I knew there had to be a way to have him get used to things if I was gonna take him under my wing, but I decided to cross that bridge when I came to it. Eventually, we made our way back to Floccessy Town, where we were stopped by Alder upon passing a gate.

"Hynden, there you are!" he exclaimed. "Listen, I've got a little proposition for you. It won't take long, I promise!"

"Sure. Whaddya need?"

"Come with me."

Alder guided me into a school building, which was completely empty save for two kids. One was a boy with short olive-brown hair and his school outfit, the other was a girl with chocolate brown hair in pigtails and wearing her glasses with her school uniform. Both looked at me with curiosity and intimidation at the same time.

"Seymour, Cassie, I'd like you to meet Hynden," Alder introduced as I shook out my hand for them both to shake one at a time. "Back when I was Champion, she was my true successor before she resigned."

"You were the Champion?!" both kids gasped in awe after shaking my hand.

"Wow, ma'am, you must be strong!" Seymour beamed. "M-Mr. Alder, sir, are you sure we're supposed to battle her?"

"Yeah, isn't it an automatic loss if we try and fight an ex-Champion?" Cassie asked.

"Winning or losing doesn't matter," Alder said. "Either way, it's still a wonderful opportunity for the two of you!"

"Alder's right, kids," I agreed. "It's like my mom always told me: 'never be afraid to lose; it's a wonderful learning experience for everyone'! And wouldn't you know it? My mother's the current Champion of Johto."

"Neo-Champion Ritsu's your mom?!" the kids squealed. "That's amazing!"

"And just as importantly, I've taught you to enjoy your battles, regardless of the outcome," Alder added. "Now, who wants to go first?"

"I-I'll go!" Seymour squeaked, holding a PokéBall between his palms, tossing it with two hands. "P-Panpour, go!"

Panpour came out in a flash, so I sent out Tidus to fight. While Seymour looked incredibly nervous, Tidus was as cool as a cucumber like usual. Panpour attacked with a commanded Scratch, which hardly left any damage on Tidus. My Snivy in turn used two Vine Whips, and Panpour was down.

"Wonderful battle, Seymour!" Alder encouraged, clapping. "Don't you think so too, Hynden?"

"Yeah! You may not have won, but you still tried your best. I'm sure if you keep training a little harder, then you'll get better!"

"O-Okay! Panpour and I are gonna get stronger! C-Cousin Cassidy, it's your turn!"

"Alright! I'm gonna win since you couldn't do it, Seymour!" Cassie declared, calling out her Pansear.

"Michi, I choose you!" I called, summoning my Azurill from her PokéBall.

"Pansear, use Lick!"

Pansear got closer and ran its tongue up the side of Michi's face in a swift manner. Although disgusted, the move lit Michi's short fuse off as she became irritated.

"Michi, Bubble!" I commanded.

Without any hesitation in her actions, Michi fired several bubbles from her mouth, which left critical damage on Pansear. She didn't give it the chance to attack and instead used Bubble again, this time knocking Pansear out.

"Don't you ever touch me with your gross tongue again!" Michi snapped. "Well, that was fun!" she chirped, suddenly glad.

"Good battle…" Cassie pouted, returning the fainted Pansear to its PokéBall.

"Yes, it was," I replied, recalling Michi. "Just remember: losing isn't usually a bad thing. It's all a part of becoming a better Trainer!"

"You both did a wonderful job," Alder remarked, clapping again. "Now, what do you say to Hynden for her time?"

"Thank you!" Seymour and Cassie said to me.

"You're welcome, you two," I responded. "Alder, I gotta go. There's an Aspertia Gym battle with my name on it!"

"Well then, I won't keep you waiting! And something tells me the Gym Leader is someone you'll be more than happy to face!"

I had no clue what Alder meant by this, but I said goodbye to him and left the school building. I continued traversing through Floccessy Town until I passed the town limits and was back onto Route 19. When I passed the familiar cliff, Alder surprised me by shouting from the top of it. Just as he was about to jump down again, I waved my hands back in forth in front of me and pleaded.

"No no no! Don't jump again, Alder!" I begged. "That's so unnecessary!"

"Aww… alright. I'll just toss my gift down to you!"

In my hands landed a straw basket. And one by one, a bunch of Oran Berries fell into it perfectly. I thanked Alder for the present and he left once I put the berry basket into my bag. I kept traversing Route 19, using Michi and Eris to battle each of the wild Pokémon that ambushed us. Before we knew it, I was back in Aspertia City, the sunset visible in the horizon.

"_It's getting late,"_ I thought, "_I'd better hurry and face this Gym Leader fast!"_

After a brief healing trip to the Pokémon Center, I found the Aspertia City Gym and went inside. What I wasn't expecting was the inside to be an elementary school classroom, full of desks, a chalkboard, and everything. On the board was an erased version of a lesson on types, but unerased were a few names under the words "30-MIN DETENTION". Walking past the area, I found the door to the outdoor Gym.

"I wonder who the Gym Leader is…" I pondered.

When I looked up after taking a free Fresh Water from the shelf, I couldn't believe who was talking to two children who presumably went to the school. At a closer glance, I confirmed that it was definitely someone I knew, and that Bianca and Alder were right when they hinted at me being pleased with who the Gym Leader was.

"Well well well, look who it is!" I exclaimed from behind. "You remember me, don'tcha, Cheren?"

"Hold on, it's probably another challenger," I heard Cheren say to the children. "Welcome, I-" he paused, his now glasses-less eyes widening with surprise when he saw me. "Oh my Arceus, it's you! Hynden, you've finally returned! You've come back!"

I ran over to Cheren and hugged him tightly after two whole years of not seeing each other. Although the embrace ended, we were still looking at each other warmly.

"You're a Gym Leader now?" I asked him with a chuckle.

"That's right, my friend! I did say I was training to work with the League, and here I am!" Cheren confirmed. "In the process, Iris was nice enough to allow me to share my knowledge with others. So, she made me the teacher of the Aspertia Trainers' School too."

"So, you got a bonus too! Well, 'Mr. Cheren', now it's time for a little after-school battle!"

"You're on, Hynden! But, you cannot face me until you defeat two of my top students. When you do, then it'll begin. Also, please try not to take too long; I still have a few papers left to grade from earlier."

Cheren went to the back of the outdoor Gym, and two of his students stood in my way. The girl walked across the Gym until she was waiting at the other battling field. If I wanted to battle Cheren, I was going to have to get through his students first. The boy introduced himself as Pedro and sent out his first Pokémon once we were both ready.

"Go, Patrat!" he called, summoning the Normal-type rodent.

"Michi, you're up first," I said, calling out my trained Azurill. "Use Water Gun!"

A jet of water shot from Michi's mouth and left moderate damage on Patrat. But, Michi's opponent attacked with Tackle, which dealt a critical hit onto Michi. After spraying Michi with a Potion, she was able to take Patrat out with Bubble, followed by another Water Gun.

"Return!" Pedro shouted, recalling Patrat for his next Pokémon. "Go, Lillipup!"

The very sight of the determined Lillipup reawakened terrible memories from my 16th birthday. From the moment I caught Chiro to his demise, my vision flashed red for a second in unison with my mind blanking out for as long. I quickly suppressed it, and everything returned to normal again.

"Come back, Michi," I said to her before tossing Tidus' PokéBall. "Come on out, Tidus!"

My Snivy's first move was Vine Whip, but Lillipup quickly bit down on the vine and used it to tos Tidus forward. Tidus picked himself up and stood firmly for battle.

"Lillipup, use Leer!" Pedro exclaimed.

Tidus and I didn't expect Lillipup's eyes to switch from cutesy to downright frightening, its glare succeeding in lowering Tidus' guard. Just as he was bouncing back from the Leer, Lillipup attacked Tidus with Tackle.

"Tidus, Tackle!" I commanded, "Then use Vine Whip!"

Lillipup was attacked by Tidus ramming his body into it. Then, Tidus wrapped his vines around Lillipup's body and tossed it across the room, resulting in a critical KO. Pedro recalled his Pokémon and I proceeded to my next opponent.

"I'm Serena, one of the top students in my class!" she introduced, "And now, I'm gonna beat you before you even think about reaching Mr. Cheren!"

Serena's first Pokémon was a Lillipup. When I sent out Timon to battle, Lillipup first used Tackle to leave damage on my Patrat. But, Timon retaliated with a Bite attack, leaving a critical hit on Lillipup.

"Lillipup, Leer!" Serena commanded.

Like the one before it, Lillipup's eyes turned fearsome, striking fear into the heart of Timon and lowering his ability to defend himself. When he least expected it, Lillipup attacked with Tackle, leaving Timon almost to his limit.

"Timon, Bite!" I exclaimed, spraying him with a Potion.

Timon opened wide, his tooth emanating a small dark aura. He sank his teeth into Lillipup and inflicted damage upon it. Lillipup fell to the ground, and we celebrated what seemed like a near victory. While we cheered, I saw Lillipup charge at Timon again.

"Timon, look out!" I cried.

"What-" he was about to say.

Lillipup used a Tackle attack on Timon, knocking him far across the Gym. I went over to him and saw that he wasn't moving or responding to the sound of my voice. Once again, my fears and horror built up inside of me as my once-gray eyes turned completely scarlet, as they had several times in the past after I received the Dark Stone. Electricity snapped and crackled at my very fingertips as dark feelings grew inside of me.

"Miss, are you okay?" Serena asked me as she got closer.

I bolted around and gave her a fierce glare, and Serena nearly screamed when she saw my red sclera and strange energy. But, I paused when I heard a sound. That very sound was a faint inhaled followed by an exhale. I looked down at Timon and saw that he was still very much alive, but he had fainted like lots of other Pokémon.

"...It's gone…" I realized as my dark abnormalities faded, "Nuzlocke Syndrome really is gone! Now my friends won't die anymore!"

"A-Are we still gonna battle?" Serena asked in fear, backing away from me a little.

"Oh, sure. Sorry for scaring you, Serena. Timon, return and take a rest." I looked at the PokéBall I picked up and thought about whether or not I should use this one. But, this was the only way to get things done, so I decided to go for it. "Perseus, go!"

Out came my Riolu, who looked at his surroundings before shooting me an angry glare. He folded his arms and turned away from me with an attitude.

"Look, mister," I scolded. "This is a good way to give me a chance to be your Trainer. Besides, Fighting-types do really well against Normal-types!"

"And listen to some second-rate human? No way! Send me back already; you're on your own, woman!"

"Okay, that's enough, Perseus! You'd better start cooperating pronto!"

"What if I don't? What are you gonna do then?"

I didn't get the chance to give Percy my anger answer as Lillipup used its Tackle move on Percy. Angry, my stubborn Riolu used Counter on it, resulting in an easy defeat due to previous attacks. Serena's next Pokémon was Patrat, and Percy got up from the ground and stood firmly.

"That was a great move against Lillipup!" I told him, "Now can you beat this Patrat?"

"I told you, I don't take orders from humans! You can't do anything to benefit me! But, I'll humor you this time. Go on, just give me a command."

"Alright. Use Frustration! Let go of any anger you feel, Perseus!"

Percy stood and concentrated for a moment, every ounce of frustration and irritability he felt was channeled all into one. Glaring at his opponent, he immediately charged towards Patrat and KO-ed it in a single super punch of rage. Eventually, Percy calmed down from the Frustration attack.

"Feel better?" I asked him.

"Yeah. Other than the sudden rage, that actually felt… kinda fun. Maybe I'll help you take this Gym down, but that's it! After this, you'll be on your own!"

"Alright, if you wanna think that," I said, recalling Percy for the time being.

Serena allowed us to move forward up to Cheren's platform. I walked up the sturdy white wooden steps until I was finally at a fair enough distance to battle him. The sun was going down, but Cheren seemed to be sweating from his face from the summer heat, so he wiped his forehead and straightened his carnelian-colored tie.

"Whew, it's almost nighttime, but it's still stuffy out here…" Cheren panted. "Ahem! As expected, you've made it here, Hynden. And as a matter of fact, you're actually my first and only challenger today."

"Just like old times, Cheren?" I asked, taking out my first PokéBall.

"Not quite. Skills can change over two years if you used your time wisely, my friend. And although I'm a novice Gym Leader, it still stands in my case!"

Cheren's first Pokémon was a Patrat, so I decided to use Tidus to fight it. Rather than using a physical move, Patrat used Work Up a couple of times to boost its power. I quickly had Tidus use Vine Whip to attack, but it hardly did any damage.

"Patrat, Tackle!" Cheren ordered.

Much to my surprise, Patrat's attack left Tidus completely winded with just one hit. I sprayed him with a Potion and gave him an X Attack I found on my way back to the city. In seconds, Tidus was looking healthy again.

"Tidus, Wrap!" I shouted.

Tidus leaped forward and tightly wrapped his body around Patrat for a few seconds before releasing it. The attack's constriction still lingered, causing Tidus' opponent to still sustain damage as if it was still trapped by him.

"Clever girl, Hynden," Cheren remarked, "but will it be enough to defeat me after so long? Patrat, use Bite!"

Patrat sunk its teeth into Tidus, only pulling back from the damage when it sustained some of its own from the Wrap effects. Seeing the cringing as an opportunity, Tidus attacked with a critical Vine Whip, causing Patrat to faint from too much damage.

"So, you have been putting your time to good use after all this time," Cheren remarked. "However, that doesn't mean I'll let you defeat me again! Lillipup, let's go!"

Lillipup took the stage, but I decided to keep Tidus out for the time being since he was doing so well. While Lillipup used Work Up like its previous teammate, Tidus attacked with Wrap, trapping the Normal-type Pokémon in a perpetual bind that tightened frequently.

"Lillipup, Tackle!" Cheren commanded.

Despite being binded by Wrap, Lillipup was still able to attack Tidus. This time, it left enough damage to knock Tidus unconscious, resulting in his own defeat. I wanted to make sure he was still breathing, and when it was confirmed that my Snivy still lived, I recalled him for a rest.

"Perseus, come on out!" I called.

"Lillipup, use Work Up! Then attack with another Tackle attack!"

"Perseus, use Counter!"

When Lillipup had amped its power a little more, it ran towards Percy with full speed and strength. But, Percy was able to easily knock Lillipup back by slugging it in the snout. This time, Lillipup started to get weaker from the hit, but it still kept pressing on.

"Perseus, Feint!"

Percy clenched his fist tight and ran towards Lillipup with it out in front of him. The fist charged up from the energy until it glowed orange. When it made contact with Lillipup, the little Pokémon finally succumbed to the attack and fainted with a _THUD_. Cheren said nothing and recalled his Lillipup, a genuine smile creeping upon his face.

"Congratulations," he said to me, electronically paying me my prize money via Xtransceiver transfer. "You've beaten me again, Hynden. But, it's certainly not like old times; we're both back at the beginning, but I feel as though things are a little different now. As part of the Unova League rules, I present you with your first step to regaining your title: The Basic Badge!"

Cheren handed me the Badge, which I happily placed inside of my new badge case. I knelt down and held my hand up for Percy to high-five, which he outright refused to.

"Good job," Percy told me, not making eye contact. "You're still some low-life human, but there might be a few good qualities in you."

"I'll take it," I sighed, recalling Percy.

I said bye to Cheren and walked outside, not hearing him say anything else. When I walked out of the Aspertia City Gym, it was night time. I was about to turn in for the night after I healed my team, but something else made me change my plans a little.

* * *

**Pokémon obtained:** None.

_**(New!)**_** Badges earned: **1/8

**Boxed/Unboxed:** None.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Since this isn't a Nuzlocke, I've decided to add a new feature to replace the "Deaths" feature. This story's gonna be a little less dark, but still pretty gruesome/grim at certain parts. Stay tuned for Chapter 6, which I'm working on right now!


	6. Moving On and Great Concerns

**Author's Note:** Hey look, I finally updated again! I know it's only been a couple of hours, but this one's been started since yesterday. There are some pretty crucial things that happen in this chapter, so enjoy the update for those of you reading this.

* * *

I nearly jumped when I saw Bianca outside, but I calmed down, only for her to start panicking and almost dropping the wrapped bento box in her hand.

"Bianca, easy," I assured her. "Remember what I said earlier? You're totally allowed to hang around your friends."

"O-Oh yes, I know. Sorry, Hynden, I'm still a little unnerved by what Haley said and that glare of his. A-Anyways, did you get the Basic Badge?"

"That I did, Bee!" I laughed, showing the Basic Badge proudly in my Badge Case. "So, what's with the box? You got someone you wanna give it to?"

Just then, Cheren came outside and saw Bianca. Although them greeting each other wasn't unusual, what caught me by surprise was them sharing a brief lip kiss after embracing. But, the lip-lock made my own lips break into a smile.

"About time! You two are finally boyfriend and girlfriend!" I interjected happily. "Thank Arceus. I was getting tired of playing matchmaker for you two all the time."

"That's correct, Hynden!" Bianca chirped, hugging Cheren lovingly. "Cher-bear and I are a couple!"

"Almost a year after you left, I found the time to confess my feelings to Bianca without any struggle whatsoever!"

"Don't lie! I had to get you to say what you wanted to! You couldn't have done it without me!"

"Oh, alright. I suppose Bianca had some help. Regardless, the feelings were mutual, and now we're together."

As Cheren and Bianca shared another kiss, Bianca handed him the bento box with a note attached to it. Cheren chose not to open it at the moment since it didn't seem like a good time, but he did thank her.

"You didn't really have to go through all of that to make me this," Cheren insisted.

"Yes, I did! You're so wrapped up in your Gym Leader and teaching duties that you forget to eat sometimes!"

"Really, Bianca, I'm-"

Cheren was about to object, but his growling stomach had another story to tell. His face turned pinkish at the sound, making Bianca and I laugh.

"Hey, wait!" Bianca realized, "Hynden, let me see your Xtransceiver!"

I turned on my wrist device and allowed Bianca to inspect it. She only skimmed through it for a few seconds before she started pressing its touch screen features. After a _PING-PONG-PING_ noise went off, I saw her name as part of my contacts.

"There! Now you have my contact number!" she pointed out, adding myself to her Xtransceiver.

"Cheren, lemme add my number to yours too," I said to him.

When he allowed me to touch his Xtransceiver, I typed in my code and the ring went off. I let Cheren do the same to my device until we were both registered in each others Xtransceivers.

"Oh, right! Professor Juniper's number should be an automatic contact!" Bianca added. "Let's give her a call right now!"

Shrugging, I selected the name "Prof. Juniper" and dialed the number. After about ten seconds, she finally popped up on all of our screens.

"Hello? Oh, Hynden, good to see you again!" she beamed. "And how are my three favorite Trainers doing?"

"We're fine, Aurea!" Bianca said. "I got all of my tasks done today, and I'm gonna head back to Nuvema Town soon!"

"And Hynden just earned the Basic Badge from me, Professor," Cheren stated.

"Is that true, Hynden?" Professor Juniper asked.

"Yep! I beat Cheren fair and square!" I corroborated.

"Wonderful! That means all of your training hasn't gone to waste!"

"Of course not! I didn't train for two years for nothing! I can't let the quality of my work slip, or else I'll never make it to the League again! Kind of a shame I can't go through my journey with my old team again, though…"

"I know, Hynden. If I could change the League rules, I would," Professor Juniper said. "But, I can't. Besides, this is a perfect opportunity to enjoy an entire journey once again! Now that the silly 'Nuzlocke Syndrome' has gone away, things should be easier for you!"

"Not to mention, those Team Plasma dolts are gone for good," Cheren added as I refrained from refuting his statement. "They were nothing but complete bothers…"

"Well, I gotta go now! Bianca, I'll see you in a few!"

Professor Juniper hung up, leaving the three of us alone again. I decided to give my friends one last hurrah until I saw them again. As we did before I left, we placed our hands on top of each other's and raised them high into the air. Then, we all shared a hug meaning a temporary goodbye. At that moment, I heard someone stomp right up to me. Turning around, I saw it was Haley, who had a look in his eyes that was startled, angry, and rather crazed before he switched to more of a bitter one.

"Hello, Hynden," he said to me. "Bianca, I see you're not keeping your word."

"Eep! S-Sorry, Haley!" Bianca squeaked upon seeing Haley's glare.

"Haley, enough. Bee's just as much of my friend as you are, so she can hang around me as much as she wants. The same goes for Cheren over here; he's another friend of mine."

When he heard my words, Haley looked rather hurt as he shot a nastier glare at Cheren, who wasn't the least bit intimidated by my childhood friend. Instead, he gave him his usual expression of seriousness.

"Gym Leader Cheren of Aspertia City," Cheren introduced. "And you are?"

"Haley O'Malley, Hynden's childhood friend originally from Goldenrod City," Haley sneered.

"Oh, another person from Johto. Quite interesting."

"Yeah yeah. Listen, since you're the Gym Leader, I challenge you to a battle!"

"Seriously? It's already nightfall, so I'm supposed to finish correcting my students' homework soon."

"It won't take long. Battle now, Gym Leader! And when I win, we strike a deal I'll make sure you keep."

"Very well then. Tell me more about this inside."

As Cheren went inside before Haley, I saw the latter reach for something sheathed near his pocket. But, he was already inside of the Gym, so I couldn't see what it was. I turned to Bianca, who had a worried expression.

"I hope things go alright…" Bianca said. "That Haley friend of yours seems a little… overprotective. And really scary."

"What, Haley? Yeah, I'll admit he can get a little 'over the top', but what's the worst he could do? Listen, if it really bothers you, I'll keep an eye on things. You just head on home, okay?"

"Okay. Goodnight, Hynden. I'll be sure to tell your parents I saw you too, okay?"

"Roger. Get some shut eye, Bee!"

When Bianca was out of sight, I crept into the Aspertia City Gym. The classroom lights were off, but when I got near the battlefield, I heard a clangor. I rushed inside and gasped at what I saw. There were Haley and Cheren, both a mess from an apparent struggle. But, Haley was angrily grabbing Cheren by the neck, and a lot of things on the battlefield that weren't in shambles had slash marks from a dagger, which I assumed to be the item sheathed near Haley's pocket since the shape matched exactly. My friend's red eyes were even angrier and fierce when I looked closer without being spotted.

"Put me down, Haley…" Cheren coughed.

"Fine. But you'd better know one thing: Hynden is _MINE, _and mine alone! I was here way before you and Bianca came into the picture! So, the next time you try and steal her from me, I'll make sure you _never_ come between us ever again."

"But, Hynden and I are just friends! I'm already dating someone else!"

"That's still just as bad! Friendship bonds can be just as tight as romantic bonds… so Hynden might be so attached to you that she'll forget all about me. And then… then I'll be alone again!" Haley shouted with a few choked sobs before his eyes became dull and crazed again. "I'm serious; if you ever try to take Hynden _or_ hurt her, you're **dead**."

I couldn't believe what I had just seen. I knew Haley was rather protective and even a little clingy of me, he had been since we were friends. But, never once did it come to a point where he threatened to kill my other companions to make sure I stayed. Haley's footsteps got louder, so I bolted out of the building before he saw me.

"Hey, Hynden!" he greeted, waving happily with brightened eyes.

"Yeah, h-hi, Haley," I said back.

"Umm, you didn't hear anything in there, did you?"

"Just… a little bit," I lied. "Look, lemme clear things up; I'll never ever stop caring about you, okay? We're always gonna be friends."

"Oh, I know that! I was just making sure Cheren got the picture, so we had a little chat after I lost our Pokémon battle! So now, I'll hopefully not have to worry about losing you ever again… Isn't that great?"

"Haley, cool it. You're not gonna lose me, regardless of who I hang out with, okay? You don't have to threaten anyone to keep me, that's not only terrifying and creepy, but it's also unnecessary and makes me a pretty worried about you. Now, go home, and get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow."

When Haley left, I snuck back into the Aspertia Gym to check on Cheren. Much to my relief, he was mostly unharmed from the scuffle and was gathering his things from his desk in the classroom. I quickly left the Gym again to avoid being caught and rushed into the Pokémon Center to heal my team. It only took a few minutes to get the task done, but as Carrie was getting ready to leave herself, she noticed my face.

"You could use some rest," she said. "You look extremely tired. Pokémon Trainers need their sleep!"

"Yeah, I was about to go home before I set out for the next Gym tomorrow. But, I'm worried about a friend."

"Really now? What seems to be making you worry?"

"Well, I haven't seen him in four years, so now that he's back, he seems a little… hostile and jealous of my other friends. It's like he's scared I'm gonna leave him forever or something."

"Hmm, that's quite a pickle. Well, my best advice is to make him see that you're not gonna leave him, and you'll care about him. Have you told him this?"

"Yeah, I just got done doing that! What if he acts up again?"

"Then you have to _convince_ him that things are gonna be okay! You're always gonna be his friend no matter what. Worse case scenario, he could have deep feelings you, and that rarely ever ends well if he does."

"R-Right... Thanks, Carrie. I'll see how things turn out with Haley. Good night!"

"Night! Also, can you give these to Taylor when you get home?"

Carrie handed me a bouquet of Taylor's favorite flowers, so I nodded and left the Pokémon Center after picking up my PokéBalls. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my house key, opening to see that Taylor was in her pajamas and on her laptop.

"Hynden, you're back!" she said, surprised. "If you're on a journey, shouldn't you check into the Pokémon Center for the night?"

"And I would do that why?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "Our house is literally blocks away from it, so there's no point at all. Anyways, these are for you from Carrie."

I handed Taylor the flowers and headed towards the stairs. I waved hello to my previous team and said goodnight to them, too tired for a long conversation or anything. In my room, I changed into my pajamas, let my knee-length brown hair down, and crawled into bed, ready to sleep the night away after clicking my room light off.

* * *

The next morning, I woke up and got dressed immediately. I ran downstairs to the smell of Taylor's finished cooking. Since I didn't wanna take too long, I wound up having a small bowl of cereal and leaving the house with a piece of toast.

"Later, Taylor!" I told my roommate, bolting out the door with the toast in my mouth.

Without using my hands, I consumed the toast piece in seconds. Once I swallowed, I took out my Town Map to see where I needed to go next. My next destination was a place by the name of Virbank City. I started following the direction in where to go, but my Xtransceiver started ringing. When I answered it, my caller was Cheren, who didn't look all too pleased.

"Morning, Cheren," I greeted.

"Good morning to you too, Hynden," he responded. "Now listen, I've come with a little request after last night. If I were you, I'd put that friend of yours on a leash!"

"You mean Bianca?"

"Funny, but no. I'm talking about your psychotic friend, Haley!"

"Haley? Look, Cheren, I know he can be really intense, but he's probably just worried about me. I mean, it has been four years since we last saw each other."

"He tried to _kill me_!" Cheren snapped. "He kept blathering on about how I was going to 'steal' you from him, and he nearly cut me open with that dagger of his!"

"What?! Ugh, I knew something was wrong! I don't know why Haley would do that to you, but I'm gonna talk to him! In the meantime, try not to provoke him if you see him again."

"P-Provoke him?! I have done nothing to that guy! He needs to get a grip, and more importantly, some help!"

"He will. I'll talk to Haley, and I'm gonna be his help. All I gotta do is convince him that I'm fine, and he won't have any reason to attack my friends."

I didn't wait for Cheren to say anything else, so I hung up. On my way out, I saw someone at Haley's house walk outside. I looked at their face a little more and realized that it was his mother Kris, an old friend of Mom's.

"Dr. O'Malley!" I cried, running closer. "Nice to see you again!"

"What? Who is… Hynden, is that you?" she asked, scratching her darkening blue hair before looking closer. "Oh my, you've gotten so big! The last time I saw you, you were only 14!"

"Yeah, time does that to ya. Umm, is Haley home? I wanna talk to him."

"No, sorry. He's already left. What did you wanna talk to him about?"

"Oh, well… I uh, I just wanted to see my best friend is all! But, has Haley been acting strange when my family and I moved to Unova?"

"Now that you mention it, he actually has. See, since you left, my poor boy's been ever-so lonely. He's tried interacting with others his age, but he's had no luck. In fact, Haley was extremely depressed and irritable without you around. So, when Ethan and I announced we were all moving to Unova, I've never seen him so happy before!"

"It's been that bad? Maybe I should have called a little more often in that case. But, my last journey was kinda rough, so I never had too much time to. At least this time, we're in the same region again!"

"That's right. Would you like to come in for a spell?"

"No thanks. I gotta head to Virbank City for my next badge."

"Oh, okay then. See you around, Hynden! Keep yourself and my son safe!"

Haley's mom went back inside of the house, and I continued on my path until I was out of Aspertia City and on Route 19. Since I knew the way around now, I had no trouble getting out, passing Floccessy Town, and on Route 20 at last. I crossed a couple of bridges until I came across a staircase leading down a ledge.

"That must be the way," I said, walking down the stairs.

Out of the nearby shrubs, Haley popped out of the bushes. When he saw me scream from being startled, he started laughing mischievously, even when I glared at him and huffed.

"Got you!" he teased. "Are you getting your next badge, Hynden?"

"You know it," I confirmed. "And Haley, I talked to your mom earlier."

"Did you now? What did she say?"

"She said that you've been really miserable before we saw each other again. I just wanna say sorry for not keeping in touch too often; my last journey was hectic."

"Oh, that doesn't matter anymore! I mean, we're together again, so now I know you won't leave. Right? You're not gonna leave me, are you, Hynden?"

Haley's tone sounded pretty desperate, and it also sounded like he was begging me not to leave. I did feel really bad about nearly abandoning him, and I didn't have a good enough reason to just ditch him for good, especially since we're best friends.

"I'm always gonna have your back, Haley," I told him.

"And I'll be right behind you too, Hynden!" he responded with a smile. "I'm gonna be your number one support, and you'll be the new Champion again!"

I smiled at the fact that Haley's supportiveness never changed after all this time. So, I gave him what was supposed to be a brief hug goodbye. But, I saw Cheren walk down the stairs behind Haley, and his voice made my friend turn around with a malicious look.

"You again," he hissed. "Didn't we have a deal, Cheren?"

"Save it, Haley. I heard Hynden was on her way to Virbank City. If that's true, then I have something for the both of you."

Cheren walked over to us and handed us five Pecha Berries each. I put them in the Berries compartment of my bag, Haley doing the same with a calmer expression.

"Does the Gym Leader use Poison-types?" I asked.

"Yes. That's the reason I'm giving these to you two," Cheren answered. "Good luck on your travels, and I'll see you in the future."

Cheren walked off afterwards. I noticed Haley let out a growl under his breath in frustration. I was starting to get a little concerned about him, but he looked at me with slightly subsided anger.

"That Cheren… he's gonna steal you from me, I just know it!" he growled. "Not to mention, those guys are back in town!"

"Haley, no one's gonna steal me. I'm friends with you _and_ Cheren all the same. There's nothing to worry about, like I promised you." I paused at what Haley said afterwards. "...What guys?"

"Team Plasma! They did something to my sister that I'll _never_ forgive them for! When I get my hands on those freaks, they're all gonna wish they never met me!"

"Why… why are they back?! I took care of them before, so why are they back again?!"

"Ah, right. I've heard about that too. And apparently, that bastard Cheren also helped you take them down! Grrr, just you wait, I'm gonna become nearly invincible like you two, and Team Plasma's gonna feel my rage for sure! I catch up with you shortly; I'm gonna head off and train for now!"

I left Haley alone in the darker grass, and started heading to the end of the Route. When I walked through the lighter shaded grass, I heard a faint cry from nearby. Cautious, I called Tidus out of his PokéBall, and he searched the grass. He found the source of the whimpers and stopped completely, only staring at it with a slightly surprised expression.

"Tidus, what is it?" I asked him.

"...A baby," Tidus answered, taking me by surprise entirely.

"What?! Someone just abandoned a baby here?!"

"It's not a human child if that's what you're insinuating. Come look."

I walked closer to where Tidus was looking, and to my surprise (and relief), it wasn't a human baby. Instead, it was a little female Sewaddle, squirming around in the remains of its egg shell. From nearby, Tidus and I spotted the mutilated bodies of two Swadloons, who we assumed were the Sewaddle's parents. We then heard the sounds of a flock of Tranquil pass by, so that only added more evidence to what could have possibly happened.

"We're not going to leave her here," Tidus decided, scooping up the newborn Sewaddle. "She just hatched, and she'll die like her parents if we abandon her."

"Agreed. What are you gonna call her?"

"...She looks like a Phoebe, so that's her name now. And, I'm officially adopting her as my baby sister."

"Why's that?"

"Let's just say… I never got the chance to meet my biological younger sibling. Alive and hatched, that is. That's all I'm comfortable with telling you, Hynden."

"Okay then. You hold onto Phoebe for a minute, I'm gonna lay her parents to rest."

Phoebe was still being held by Tidus in his arms, cooing and squirming softly. We both thought her action was adorable, and I pulled out a small tube and tugged on one end until it was a long pole. Then, I attached a large triangle piece to it until my shovel was complete. Just as I started digging, a Tranquil suddenly swept down near me. I luckily ducked in time, but it kept going. Then, its buddy joined in the fun as they tried to get the dead Swadloons I was trying to bury.

"Beat it! Get outta here!" I shouted, still trying to dig the holes.

The Tranquils changed their course, but I was horrified when they started heading for Tidus, who was holding baby Phoebe. He quickly turned around when Tranquil tried swiping Phoebe, but Tidus grabbed it by the neck with one of his vines. He did the same with the other when it attempted the same thing.

"You're not eating Phoebe!" Tidus exclaimed, slamming the Tranquil into the ground several times to the point of unconsciousness, all while holding the whining Phoebe in his arms.

I was impressed by Tidus' newfound protectiveness combined with his skill, and I was able to continue digging until I made two separate holes for each Swadloon. Tidus stood by me once they were both in the holes, and I covered up the bodies with every ounce of dirt needed.

"I'll take care of her in your place," Tidus promised the graves as I put two large stones near them. "I'm not gonna let my new baby sister die. Hynden, Phoebe, let's go."

As Phoebe cooed and wiggled her legs, I captured her by lightly tapping the center of the PokéBall until she was inside of it and it clicked shut. Tidus' expression, while still rather level-headed, had obvious hints of extreme worry.

"Don't worry, Tidus," I assured him, "she'll be fine. Now, we've got a Virbank City Gym to take down!"

Tidus and I walked up the two sets of stairs and entered the gate. We saw a pack of Great Balls next to a friendly note that said "Free, go ahead and take". So, I placed all of the Great Balls into my bag.

"At least I've got some more efficient PokéBalls now," I remarked, crossing the gates. "And now, Virbank City!"

* * *

**Pokémon obtained:** Phoebe the Sewaddle, Female, Calm nature, Likes to thrash about.

**Badges earned:** 1/8

**Boxed/Unboxed:** None.

* * *

**Author's Note:** This chapter might have had you have different feelings about some characters, but it prolly varies. I'm just glad I got this one done, even if I do have a long LONG way to go until I finish this fic. But, I digress, stay tuned for Chapter 7!


	7. The Complexity Of Virbank City!

**Author's Note:** This one was a little long to type because I had to keep up with the storyline in my game. But, it's finally done at last! Not to mention, Poké Ronpa might update pretty soon since I'm almost done the chapter I've been putting off due to no drive! Enjoy the reading, and expect the PR update soon!

* * *

As soon as I crossed the gate, my Xtransceiver started ringing. I picked it up to see the call was coming from Taylor.

"What's up, Tay?" I asked.

"Uh, hello? You left in like three seconds!" Taylor snapped. "And to think you'd actually have time to sit down with your favorite roommate!"

"I'm your only roommate, Taylor."

"Anyways, I just wanna wish you luck. I heard the Gym Leader uses Poison-types, so be careful with physical attacks. I tell ya, the Pokémon I've treated with so many poison effects…"

"Thanks and bye, Taylor! See you soon!"

I hung up the Xtransceiver and walked ahead. But, Tidus and I stopped in our tracks when we saw a white-haired rocker girl arguing with an older man.

"Dad, what the hell is wrong with you?!" she snapped. "Who's gonna man the harbor if you quit?!"

"Roxie, I'm not quitting," the man insisted, taking off his captain's hat for a beret. "I'm gonna do both jobs! I'll be a captain, and a movie star at the same time! So, when you see your old man up on the silver screen, you'll see! Besides, it's just like when you manage the Virbank Gym and your band, isn't it?"

"I guess, but being a rockstar is different from managing ships in which people depend their _lives_ on! What if you can't do both, huh?!"

"You'll see, Roxie! I'll prove you wrong! Goodbye, sweetie! See you in the movies!"

Roxie's father left without another word. Although she tried to stop him, there was no getting through to him. The white-haired girl slammed her fists on the ground with an angry shout and started yelling in the direction where the man went.

"Argh, you… you damn dense literal motherfucker!" Roxie roared, "Multi-tasking isn't why I'm angry! _YOU'RE PUTTING PEOPLE'S LIVES IN DANGER! HOW COULD YOU NOT SEE THAT?!_ Ugh, forget you! I'll be at the Gym!"

Roxie stormed off in the other direction. I was rather put off by their argument, reminding me all too well of how I once acted when my own dad did something that didn't sit right with me one bit.

"Well, someone has a rocky relationship with their parent," Tidus commented nonchalantly.

"Understatement, Tidus," I said back. "Big understatement. Let's just get some training done."

After a trip to the Pokémon Center and buying some Potions, I tried to find the nearest Route, but the new one was closed off and had a sign that said "PokéStar Studio auditions; do not enter". Sighing, Tidus and I went back to Route 20 to train instead. In the dark grass, we saw that Haley was still training Ace.

"Hi, Haley!" I greeted, waving and smiling.

"Ah, hey, Hynden!" Haley greeted back, turning to face me. "I thought you were going to face the Gym Leader?"

"I am, but she had a little spat with her old man. So, I'm just gonna train for now until things cool down."

"Great idea! That way, your Pokémon can get more experience and make things easier for the battle! Say, why don't you train with me? I've always been your perfect training partner, after all!"

When I nodded yes, Haley grabbed my hand and pulled me close. I accidentally fell forward into his chest, and I was able to hear his heart beating fast in his chest. I lifted my head, and saw Haley turning bright pink in the face as he turned away shyly.

"Sorry," I said to him.

"I-It's okay, Hynden," he insisted, twiddling with his fingers. "Next time, try and be more careful. I wouldn't want you getting hurt, okay?"

"Got it! Now, let's get started."

I smiled, and Haley's blush deepened, his face this time forming a smile from his lips. He cleared his throat and walked through the dark grass a little more with me and Tidus. We encountered a Patrat and a Purrloin at the same time, so we tag-teamed to defeat them

"Ace, Ember on the Patrat!" Haley proclaimed.

"Tidus, use Vine Whip on Purrloin!" I told my Pokémon.

Contiguous to each other for a minute, Ace and Tidus separated to attack their opponents with their instructed moves. Since the wild Pokémon weren't too high a levels, taking them down only took a few hits.

"Alright, here come our next opponents!" Haley announced when he heard a rustling.

I kept Tidus out and braced myself for what lied ahead. But, I stopped worrying when the Pokémon turned out to be a Pidove and a Sunkern, the latter of which made Haley and I both amazed.

"Haley, another Johto Pokémon!" I pointed out.

"I know! What are the odds we'd see another one?" Haley asked, just as in awe as me. "But, we can't let old memories of home distract us! That won't improve our skills while we train _together_!"

"Ah, you're right. Tidus, use Tackle on Sunkern!"

The power of Tidus' Tackle left moderate damage on Sunkern, and it was ultimately defeated by Ace's Ember attack. Haley and I congratulated our Pokémon on a job well done and I turned to the Pidove, ready to give Tidus the next command.

"Tidus, Vine Whip!" I told him.

Before my Snivy could use his attack, Haley stopped him and got closer to the Pidove. Tidus and I were confused at the reason until we saw Haley pick up the Pidove, who was red-faced and already looked weakened despite not having been attacked.

"It's sick," he deduced, "we can't fight it."

"Well, duh, Captain Obvious," I agreed. "Do you have any medicine on you?"

"I've got a bottle of medicine with me, but it won't be enough to cure it."

Haley took the medicine out from his bag, carefully parted its beak and inserted the liquid treatment into its mouth. Pidove slowly swallowed it, and Haley felt its forehead as the red color in its feathery cheeks dimmed down a little.

"It helped, but I'll have to get it to a Pokémon Center pronto!" Haley declared, hurrying out of the grass. "By the way, Hynden, there's… something I wanna ask you."

"Go ahead, Hales," I said.

"S-Sometime, when I'm free," he gulped, blushing again, "you wanna go out somewhere? Just the two of us?"

"You mean like a date?"

"N-No! I mean, it doesn't have to be a date if you don't want it to. So, whaddya say, Hynden? Is it a yes or no?"

"Hmm, I dunno, is it?" I asked with an impish chuckle.

"Come on! Do you wanna go out sometime or do you not?!" Haley pleaded, exasperated by my sarcastic response.

"When I'm free. We'll spend a little day on the city together. See you then, Hales."

"Yes! I'll see you soon, Hynden!"

Although he ran off towards Virbank City, I could hear him exclaim "She said yes! She finally said yes! I'm going on a date with Hynden!" as he ran through the gates. I chuckled at my best friend's enthusiasm at our future meeting, but I focused more on training my team. I looked at Phoebe's PokéBall as I left the dark grass, and I decided that she needed a little battle experience.

"Phoebe, come out!" I called, summoning the small Sewaddle.

When she was out and about, Phoebe was just waking up from a nap. She looked around her surroundings, her face becoming fearful. Then, tears started welling up in her eyes as the baby Sewaddle started crying.

"Oh, bloody hell, she's crying!" Tidus squeaked, running over to Phoebe and rocking her gently with his vines. "Shhh, don't cry, Pheebs. It's okay, big brother's here!"

Phoebe continued to cry until she felt Tidus' soothing rocking motions, which is when she stopped crying. Tidus lowered her into his arms and continued to rock her gently.

"Loud little thing," he remarked. "But, she's still a hatchling, so it's only normal for Sewaddle her age to cry like that."

The lighter grass near us started to rustle. Phoebe crawled out from her adoptive brother's arms and inched closer to the grass as an Audino popped up. Tidus tried to stop her, but I held him back since this was a good thing.

"She'll get hurt!" Tidus insisted, worried.

"I've got plenty of Potions," I assured him. "Besides, she needs some training. You can't keep holding her back like that, Tidus. Also, according to my PokéDex, this Audino's extremely low leveled and doesn't know any physical moves."

Audino attacked with a fierce Growl, making Phoebe shudder before crying loudly again. The sound made Audino block its ears, and Tidus was able to soothe Phoebe with his vines, stroking the top of her head gently.

"It's alright, Phoebe," he assured her.

"Phoebe, use Tackle!" I commanded.

My Sewaddle inched closer to Audino and harshly rammed it in the stomach with her body. Audino was left winded, but Phoebe didn't yield. She believed this was some sort of game, so despite Audino's constant Growls and fruitless Helping Hands, Phoebe kept using Tackle until her opponent was weakened.

"Great job, little Phoebe! Now use-"

I couldn't give out my next command. Instead, Phoebe started nibbling at Audino's body until it fainted with several teeth marks in its body. My PokéDex told me that Phoebe was growing much stronger, and just learned the move Bug Bite. I picked Phoebe up into my arms and started hugging her with pride.

"Nice work, Pheebs!" I said to her before putting her down. "Now, let's go find us another place to train. You and Tidus won't be very good against Roxie's Pokémon, but you'll be great in future battles!"

"Ah-ha, gah gah, yay!" Phoebe cooed happily. "Ba-el! Ba-tel!"

"Sh-She said her first word!" Tidus choked, proud. "My baby sister is starting to grow up."

"Well, I did hear that some Pokémon age faster than others," I added.

"That's besides the point, Hynden. The point is, Phoebe's on her way to becoming a great fighter! And that makes me the proudest big brother ever!"

Smiling, I recalled both Tidus and young Phoebe to their PokéBalls and returned to Virbank City. I went into the Pokémon Center for a quick healing trip and to buy a few needed items for our training and eventual battle. When my Pokémon came back in their PokéBalls after being healed, I went to the PokéMart counter to buy some Potions and Antidotes. Then, I left the Pokémon Center in favor of a southern part of the city called the "Virbank Complex". There was wild grass around, so it was a magnificent training spot.

"Let's see, I think I'll train… Eris!" I decided, calling my Purrloin out from her PokéBall. Much to my dismay, she was once again sound asleep despite the morning being not quite over yet. "Eris!" I snapped.

"Hu-nyuh?" she yawned, waking up. "What is it, Hynden? You're disturbing my little cat nap!"

"Nap later, train now. Besides, you've gotten your needed amount of sleep already! Now you're just pushing it!"

"I told you, I have no interest in battling. Whatever I have done before was out of instinct. I simply lack the intention of actually training for such trifles, so count me out."

"But I need you for the Gym Battle! Tidus and Phoebe can't fight this one, so I'm counting on you and the others to do it!"

"Nyah… nah, I don't really feel like it. Why don't you ask me later?"

Eris' laziness was pushing me to my limit. I held back my frustration when I saw an Audino pop out of a rustling bush. I pointed to it, and despite Eris seeing what I was doing, she didn't move.

"Quit stallin', Eris!" I snapped.

"Ugh, very well. I'll humor you again. All I have to do is take down this weak pink thing, and I can sleep-"

Audino used an excess of Growl, followed by a brutal set of DoubleSlaps. The smile never once left its face, though it showed no mercy when giving Eris the beatdown of a lifetime, leading to her fainting from her injuries. I knew she was alive due to her breathing, so I hurried to the Pokémon Center to heal her up. Afterwards, I returned to the training spot.

"Now do you see why you gotta try, Eris?" I asked.

"Oh please. That was one little time. I just have to use my claws, and I'll win."

This time, a bunch of Pokémon showed up. I was fascinated at the Elekid next to the Patrat due to it being more common back in Johto, but I froze up at seeing one Pokémon: Magnemite. I may have learned to be less hostile towards Steel-types over the past couple of years, but my anathema and fear still had yet to subside.

"Shoo! Get out! Go on, go away now!" I told it, shooing it away until it flew off. "I hope Magnemites aren't too common around these parts…" I sighed. "Eris, use Scratch on Patrat."

Without very much effort in her, Eris sharpened her retractable claws and charged out at Patrat. But, Patrat used Leer, which made Eris freeze up briefly. As my Purrloin was vulnerable, the wild Normal-type used Tackle on her. Before Eris could get up, Elekid struck her down with Thunderbolt.

"Hang on, Eris," I sighed, "I'll take care of you."

One more trip to the Pokémon Center later, and I was ready to try again with Eris. But, with each consecutive training match, she kept slacking off, being defeated by wild Pokémon, and I wound up rushing her to the Pokémon Center every time.

"Okay, time for Plan B," I groaned, calling out Perseus. "Perseus, can you help Eris with her training?"

"You mean _her_?" Percy sneered as he and Eris gave each other looks of disgust. "It's bad enough I have to work with a human, but now you expect me to work with this lazy fat cat?"

"What did you just call me, mutt?!" Eris shrieked, sharpening her claws and lunging out at Perseus. "I'm gonna make you eat those words!"

"Break it up, break it up!" I called, pulling Eris off of Percy. "You guys need to put aside your differences and help each other. If you don't, we can't leave Virbank because we don't have the badge!"

"Ugh, fine…" Eris and Percy groaned before glaring at each other again.

From the grass popped another Patrat, to which Eris did nothing but sharpen her claws at while still lying down. When the wild Patrat jumped at her, Percy quickly defended Eris with Counter before shooting her a glare.

"Pull your weight, you stupid cat!" Percy snapped.

"You know, sophisticated ladies such as myself don't start petty fights," Eris retorted, "but we sure as heck can finish them!"

"Oh, so you wanna go, do ya? Bring it!"

I tried breaking up the squabble between my Pokémon, but they kept at it no matter how much I attempted to separate them. Just then, the grass started rustling again. Out came another Audino, who proceeded to use an instant DoubleSlap on Eris and Percy.

"Grr, stupid Audino!" Eris hissed.

Percy attacked with Counter the next time Audino tried using its move again, and he left a critical hit on it. But, Audino then attacked with Growl, which made Percy' punches become weaker. Suddenly, Percy was pinned to the ground by Audino's foot. The smile not leaving the wild Normal-types face, Audino raised its hand, ready to attack.

"Perseus!" I cried, running over to stop Audino from using DoubleSlap.

Although I did stall its hand for a few moments, fighting back and forth with it stubbornly, I was tossed aside by the Audino's strength, and it continued to try and attack Percy. But, what surprised me greatly was Eris slashing its hand with Scratch. Audino abandoned Percy for Eris, but my Purrloin used an Assist attack.

"Let's see how you like this!" Eris shouted, firing Michi's Water Gun and defeating Audino. Afterwards, she reveled in the experience. "Well, I'll be, that actually felt rather satisfying."

"Are you guys alright?" I asked them, helping Percy off the ground.

"Yeah, thanks for trying to save," Percy said to me. "Maybe you're not _totally_ despicable after all. But, that doesn't mean I'm gonna lower my guard to you."

"It's a start," I sighed, smiling. "Does that mean I can call you 'Percy' now?"

"Don't even think about it, human! I'm Perseus to you!"

"Ahem, I believe there's something you'd like to say to me as well, Mutt?" Eris asked, "I believe it was I who took down that fat pink ruffian."

"Ugh. Thanks, I guess. Whatever," Percy said with little effort.

A pout came from Eris, rolling her eyes and curling up again until I picked her up. She gave me another look, even when I put her down again and made sure she didn't try to fall asleep again.

"We've still got a little more training to do," I told her, recalling her and Percy. "I'm gonna see what's down there."

I headed further into the Virbank Complex until I reached some sort of metal plant. I looked around at the several pipes, Trainers, and Pokémon up ahead. I was suddenly stopped by a man when I walked in.

"Hey, you!" he called, "My name's Theo, and I need some help."

"What kind of help?" I asked.

"See, I run this here complex, and three of my best workers aren't doing their jobs. Can you convince 'em? They love battling just to shirk their work. I'll give you this Hidden Machine if you do."

I looked at the maroon disc that said "Rock Smash", and I nodded. I went off into the Virbank Complex and searched around for the workers. I found one up on one of the platforms, so I ran to find a way up. I discovered a staircase and the only way to get to the worker was to walk on the red pipes.

"Steady… steady now…" I told myself, holding my arms out for balance in each step.

I managed to make it to the platform without falling down. I approached the worker, who took a minute to notice me. I had a competitive look on my face as I tossed Eris out to fight.

"Oh, so you wanna battle?" he asked me, sending out his Patrat first. "Bring it on! It's more fun than working right now!"

Eris started with an Assist attack, which was a Tail Whip originating from Michi. Patrat's defense got weaker from it, leaving it open for Eris to attack with a new attack. She slashed her claws at Patrat over and over until it fainted, and I recognized the move as Fury Swipes.

"When did you learn that?" I asked her, impressed.

"Probably from that Audino," Eris guessed. "No matter, I feel as though I'm invincible! I'll tussle with one more opponent, then it's a nice nap for me."

The worker's next Pokémom was an Elekid. My awe died down when Elekid attacked Eris with a critical Low Kick, causing her to nearly lose her balance. Before she could completely faint, I recalled her and sent out Phoebe, who quickly trapped Elekid with String Shot.

"Phoebe, use Bug Bite!" I commanded.

Phoebe's Bug Bite was strong enough to cause the Elekid to faint due to its inability to attack after being tied up tight. The worker returned his Pokémon to its PokéBall and hung his head in shame.

"Back to work, I guess…" he sighed, turning around and working on the generator.

"You did so good, Phoebe!" I cooed, picking her up and smiling cheekily.

"Yay! Thane, thane!" she replied, which I assumed to be a way of saying "Thanks".

I returned Phoebe to her PokéBall and crossed the pipes again to search for the second worker. When I spotted him below the pipes, I jumped down and shakily landed on my feet like a Glameow. I approached him with a PokéBall in my hand, and when he turned around, he caught my drift and sent out his first Pokémon.

"Riolu, go!" he exclaimed.

"Perseus, let's fight!" I shouted.

Percy glanced at the other Riolu before becoming fierce. Riolu struck Percy with Feint, which dealt moderate damage to Percy's body. My own Fighting-type retaliated with his Frustration attack, but it wasn't nearly as strong or angry as when he used it before.

"Perseus, what gives?" I asked him, "Did you channel your anger?"

"I tried! But nothing came up for some reason," Percy told me.

"Why's that? Never mind! Use Quick Attack."

Percy ran so swiftly around Riolu that he was practically invisible. When Riolu least expected it, Percy struck him from behind and defeated him. Percy cracked his knuckles and smirked at his victory. Even when the worker sent out Lillipup and it attacked with Tackle, Percy was able to take it down once I told him to use Counter.

"Great job, Perseus," I told him, holding out my hand to see if he was going to shake it.

"...Thanks, you too," he responded, nodding at me positively instead of reciprocating the handshake.

"Now, isn't there someone who needs to do their job instead of goofing off?"

"Yeah, you're right, sorry," the worker sighed, resuming his job.

I trudged through the tall grass, but Percy and I stopped when a Pokémon sprang from the shrubbery. It was a Growlithe, who looked at both of us for a moment before trying to pounce at Percy. But, his pounce was rather weak since Percy was able to dodge it without much effort.

"Gah! Why'd ya do that?!" Growlithe demanded to know, "You didn't even lemme attack ya!"

"Like hell I'd do that, stupid!" Percy objected. "What kind of Growlithe can't even use an attack properly?"

"I can so! Do you know who you're talking to? I'm the great Leon, the most feared Growlithe in the entire Virbank Complex!"

Suddenly, a wild Patrat popped out of nowhere from behind Leon, who shrieked in fear before hiding his face in his paws uttering "Don't hurt me" over and over again. Percy defeated it with an easy Quick Attack and loomed over the cowering Leon.

"You're pathetic," he insulted. "If you're really so 'big and bad', then get stronger."

"Perseus is right," I agreed before restating myself. "Err, not the pathetic part, that was just mean. I'm talking about you getting stronger. How about you come with us, and I'll train you?"

"R-Really?" Leon asked before perking up with confidence. "Alright! Though I gotta warn you, don't be surprise if I blow you away with my awesomeness!"

"Obviously. There's nothing cooler than cowering before a stupid little Patrat," Percy spat sarcastically.

"Ah, who asked ya? I just got me a new home, so get used to my presence!"

I turned on my Xtransceiver and opened the new-and-improved PC Storage app. I decided to box Timon, leaving an open slot in my party. I tossed a PokéBall at Leon, and his capture was a success. Recalling Percy, I marched to the other side of Virbank Complex and found the last worker below. Walking down the stairs, I challenged the final worker immediately.

"You're on!" he decided. "Koffing, Magby, go!"

I sent out Leon for his first fight, and thought about my second Pokémon. Spraying Eris' PokéBall with a Potion, I called her out. When Leon noticed her, his eyes widened with amazement and his cheeks flushed slightly. Licking his paw, he slicked his mane back a little and inched closer to her with smooth confidence.

"Well, now who may you be, cutie?" he purred, "The name's Leon, I'm new. Is your name as pretty as your face?"

"I'm Eris," she introduced with a smile. "I'm very pleased to meet a gentleman like you, Leon. You're a much nicer dog than that mutt, Perseus."

"Oh, tell me about it. That brat needs to take a pill!"

"Hey, guys, flirt on your own time!" I snapped. "We've got a battle to do!"

Magby's attack was an Ember on Eris, and Koffing used Assurance on Leon. Both sustained moderate damage, but still stood proud and strong.

"Eris, Fury Swipes on Magby!" I commanded, "Leon, use… Ember on Koffing!"

Slashing her sharp claws across Magby's body, the Fire-type fainted after the final three swipes. Leon's Ember attack only did half the damage, and Koffing attacked with a Poison Gas attack. Leon cringed in pain as poison began surging through his veins, each movement hurting badly.

"Damn Poison-type…" he winced.

"Eat this," I told him, taking out a Pecha Berry and showing it to him.

"Blech! You expect me to eat that pink piece of crap? I hate sweet berries!"

"_Eat it,_" I said sternly, forcing it into his mouth.

Despite his gags, the swallowed Pecha Berry quickly took effect, diminishing the poison in Leon's body. My Growlithe was still dry-heaving from the sweet taste, but he was able to use another Ember attack on Koffing. I told Eris to attack Koffing, and she had a new move: Pursuit. The combined power was enough to defeat Koffing once and for all.

"Damn, I lost…" the worker groused. "I'd better get back to work before I get fired!"

"You guys did wonderful!" I cheered at my Pokémon, hugging them both tightly and letting go afterwards.

"You were quite brave out there, my dear," Eris purred, licking Leon's cheek. But, his face went from bliss to pain when Eris ran her tongue up his face.

"Ouch! Are all Purrloin tongues that rough?!" he winced, rubbing his sore cheek.

I recalled Eris and Leon and headed towards the exit. At the gate, Theo saw that the generators were up and working again, so he rewarded me with Rock Smash as I walked out. I sent Leon out of his PokéBall after thinking things over a little.

"So, what's this?" he asked as I placed a pair of padded headphones over his ears.

"I'm gonna teach you a new move," I told him, inserting the instructional Hidden Machine into the newest model of the Move Tutor CD Player.

The disk only ran for half a minute, and Leon learned the move after that time. I recalled him and stashed away the Player and the headphones. I took a trip to the Pokémon Center, healed up my team, and bought a few Potions and Antidotes for what lied ahead at the Virbank City Gym.

* * *

**Pokémon obtained:** Leon the Growlithe, Male, Quiet nature, Likes to fight.

**Badges earned:** 1/8

**Boxed/Unboxed:** Timon the Patrat (Boxed).

* * *

**Author's Note:** When I first started the game (before I started over), I actually called my Growlithe "Leon" before I even knew about Dangan Ronpa. So, I guess back then, you could say I named him _before_ Leon Kuwata! But, this Leon's personality is supposed to lean a little more towards my dear Souda's, but still hints of his namesake. See you next time, everyone!


	8. Lights, Camera, Toxin! (VS Roxie)

**Author's Note:** Okay, I honestly have no clue if anyone's even reading this fic anymore. I'm not gonna give up on it because I think I can create something good, but you're free to leave reviews if you want! Anyways, this chapter combines the Virbank City Gym battle with something else after. What is it? Well, let's see! Here we go, y'all!

* * *

I eventually found the way to the Virbank City gym, healing supplies all stored away in my bag. I walked down the ramp-like flights of stairs and into the Gym. But, I quickly blocked my ears from the loud rock music being played by Roxie and her bandmates. Then, Clyde came into the room wearing earmuffs and handed me an extra pair of earmuffs. Now that I didn't have to cover my ears, I marched straight up to Roxie to challenge her.

"Roxie! I'm here for the badge!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.

"_...NO, I CAN'T HEAR YOU!_" she sang into the microphone in unison with her electric guitar playing, paying no attention to me, "_AND YOOOOOOU CAAAAAAN'T HEAR ME, NOT AT AAAAAAAAALL!_"

"Unfortunately, I can hear you!" I yelled.

I tried to get her bandmates to stop playing, but they didn't seem to notice me no matter how hard I tried. Frustrated, I unsheathed my katana and searched for the power source as Roxie started a new song. When I found the necessary wires, I immediately slashed them in half, cutting off the speakers' power altogether.

"_...SO WARM AND TENDEEER!_" Roxie continued to sing, "_YOU WILL REMEMBER MY-_"

Her singing was cut off when I sliced the microphone pole in half with my sharp blade. The loud feedback ringing through the room, Roxie turned to me angrily.

"Hey, what's the big idea?! Cuttin' me off during rehearsal-" she snapped. "Oh! You a challenger?"

"Yeah, I'm Hynden, the girl who wants the next badge," I hissed, vexed.

"Name's Roxie, nice ta meet ya, new meat! Listen, if ya wanted to battle me, ya could've just asked instead of slicing my mike in two!"

"I _did_! Your music tuned me out entirely!"

"Whoops. Well, now it can't anymore. Bring it on!"

Roxie's first Pokémon was a Koffing. As planned, I sent out Percy to attack first. Koffing used a Smog attack on Percy, leaving him poisoned.

"Perseus," I said, feeding him a piece of Pecha Berry. "Now, use Force Palm!"

Percy leaped up, grabbed Koffing, and tossed him to the wall. Although hurt, Koffing got out of the wall rut. He used a Tackle attack on Percy, which dealt a moderate amount of damage. With a recently taught Rock Smash attack, Percy was able to lower Koffing's guard.

"Koffing, use Assurance!" Roxie commanded.

Koffing struck Percy in the side, leaving him much weaker. Percy didn't have the strength to successfully fight back, so he was open to Koffing's next attack in the form of another Tackle. When my Riolu collapsed to the ground, I returned him to his PokéBall and sent Eris out at the same time Roxie sprayed Koffing with a Super Potion.

"Eris, Pursuit!" I ordered.

Eris charged into Koffing immediately, and dealt a fair amount of damage onto it. But, Koffing retaliated with another Smog attack, which left Eris poisoned like Percy. With a Fury Swipes attack and another Pursuit following a dodged Tackle attack, Koffing was down and unconscious.

"Haha! Take that you-" Eris was about to gloat until she fell to the ground too.

"Good job, Eris," I said, recalling her.

"You ain't half bad for a rookie," Roxie remarked, sending out her final Pokémon in the form of Whirlipede.

"Trust me, I'm no rookie," I insisted. "Go, Leon! It's the last one!"

"Whirlipede, use Venoshock!" Roxie commanded.

The half Bug-type started spinning in place and releasing several splotches of toxin at Leon. Although the poison was all over him, Leon shook it off by using a surprise Flame Wheel attack and rolling swiftly at Whirlipede. The move left a large amount of damage on Whirlipede.

"Where'd that come from?" I asked Leon.

"I guess I just had it in me somewhere," Leon responded. "Now, time to put this stupid roly-poly in its place!"

"Whirlipede, Protect!" Roxie commanded.

When Leon tried using Flame Wheel again, he was deflected by Whirlipede's magic shield. Whirlipede attempted to conjure the same shield, but nothing happened and the move failed.

"Leon, Ember!" I shouted.

Flames escaped my Growlithe's mouth and burned Whirlipede's body to a crisp. Roxie recalled her fainted Pokémon and groaned in frustration.

"Great, I lost!" she groused. "I gave it my all, but you still wound up beating me! Well, I guess you really aren't a rookie after all. Here ya go. You've rightfully earned the Toxic Badge from little ol' me."

The bubbly purple badge was placed in my palm, and I proudly placed it in the second slot next to Cheren's Basic Badge. All of a sudden, a guy with a bright yellow afro and dark skin came bursting in.

"More nosy intruders?" Roxie scoffed.

"You!" he called, pointing to me. "I just watched your battle, and you… are… funky fresh! Oww! We could use someone like you at Pokéstar Studios!"

"Poké-what?" I asked, confused.

"Hey, that's where my pops prolly is! Maybe I can change his mind now!" Roxie gasped, "Hynden, I'm coming with you!"

"But what's this Pokéstar Studios thing?"

"You'll see, li'l mama!" the afro guy insisted. "Come on!"

I ran out the Gym with Roxie and the afro guy. We went out of the city limits, passed the gates until we were on a red carpet. Roxie ran ahead of us, but I stopped in my tracks to look at the sight before me. Pokéstar Studios was a huge movie-making place full of almost everything, and I never knew about it until now.

"Ricky, where's our new face?" a balding man with a yellow mustache asked.

"She should be here any minute, sir!" Ricky insisted before spotting me. "And theeeere she is! Our new funky fresh 'it-girl'!"

"Umm, hi there," I greeted, waving to the man. "I'm Hynden."

"Hello, Hynden! Enchanted to meet you, dear!" the man said back, shaking my hand with both of his. "I'm Mr. Stu D. Oh! This is my associate, Ricky! Welcome to Pokéstar Studios!"

"Am I gonna be in a movie?!" I asked, suddenly amazed. "I'm no actress, but it wouldn't hurt to try!"

"There's a chance," Mr. Oh teased. "Ricky, show her the ropes! I've got business to do!"

Mr. Oh scampered off, and Ricky guided me through the marvelous gates. All around me, people were walking around with different supplies for movie sets. Actors and actresses were heading to their dressing rooms, and I was impressed with it all. Ricky took me into a large theater, where I saw Roxie's dad in the lobby.

"Hey, Pop Rox~!" Ricky greeted cheerfully. "Have you met my oh-so funky-fresh new associate Hynden? She just got the Toxic Badge from yo daughter!"

"Ah, so you beat Roxie, did ya?" he asked. "Was she too much of a challenge?"

"A little, yeah," I admitted.

"Well, my little Roxie may still be growing, but for a 16-year old, she sure is strong! Oh, I wish I could talk to her, but she's probably still mad at me for earlier."

"So, PR, how'd your movie go?" Ricky asked, changing the subject. "Was it funky-wunky-fresh enough for the crowd?"

"I don't know. It's premiering right now, so why don't we all go see? If you get inspired, then you can probably get your face on the silver screen too!"

"Sensaaaational idea, Daddy Rox-Rox!" Ricky exclaimed passionately. "Hynden, better bust a move!"

Papa Rox led me up to the reception counter, where he told the woman that we wanted to go see a movie called "Midlife Man of Justice vs. Brycen-Man". We walked into the theater at the time the movie started and sat down. On the screen, "Brycen-Man" appeared, and I nearly jumped out of my seat when I recognized him.

"Mother of Arceus, it's Brycen!" I gasped loudly, earning angry shushes from the audience. "Sorry…" I whispered.

Brycen's character called out a maniacal Pawniard, which I winced and let out a sigh of exasperation at the sight of. Just as he was laughing evilly, Pop Rox's character (named "Riolu-Man") appeared and sent out his aforementioned Riolu.

"_Give it up, you fool!"_ Brycen-Man shouted, "_When I'm through with this amusement park, everything will turn to __**shambles**__!"_

"_Not on my watch!"_ Riolu-Man said rather flamboyantly. "_Riolu, sic him!"_

Riolu used Force Palm on Pawniard, resulting in an instant KO. While I was relieved to have Pawniard be defeated, the audience didn't seem to share my enthusiasm. I looked at Pop Rox, who was utterly nervous and self-conscious.

"They're not cheering…" he whined.

"Well, we are in a movie theater," I said.

"But they're still supposed to like it! All my hard work!"

When we looked up, Riolu-Man did some weird dance to show off before giving Riolu the next command. But, Riolu was easily defeated by Brycen-Man's Vullaby, causing Brycen-Man to cackle evilly.

"_Pitiful mortal!"_ he boasted proudly, pressing a button and triggering an explosion to the now-burning amusement park. "_You have failed to sustain me, so I shall cause this park's demise! I, Brycen-Man, will rule all!"_

_"NOOOOOOOO!"_ Riolu-Man cried as the park met its demise.

The movie moved to its end credits. By the time that happened, the entire theater was pretty much barren. One kid started leaving after throwing his drink at the screen and shouting "You fucking suck, Riolu-Man!" before exiting. The lights came back on, and I looked at Pop Rox with sympathy.

"You okay, old man?" I asked him.

Pop Rox didn't say anything, but instead looked at the ground with the utmost despair and shame as he left the theater. I placed a comforting hand on his back, and he looked at me with downtrodden eyes.

"I guess… I wasn't meant to be an actor after all," he sighed.

"Don't say that!" I told him. "This is just your first film! It's rare for someone to get something right on the first try! I'm sure if you keep trying, you'll get better at acting!"

"I suppose so. But, Roxie was right; the people of Virbank need their captain. So, I'm going to take my little sweetie-pie's advice and yours. For now, the great Riolu-Man will be no more in showbiz! One day when I can no longer be a ship captain, I shall return!"

"There you… go? Just do what you think's the answer."

"Right-o! I'll catch you on the flip-side, young Hynden! Good luck!"

Pop Rox replaced his beret with his old captain's hat and merrily made his way out of the building. Then, Ricky walked up to me in a smooth and grooving manner.

"So, how'd Pop-and-lock Pop Rox's movie go?" he asked me, doing a dance spin and posing. "Was it funky-fresh for ya?"  
"Well, I think everyone thought it was just… funky."

"Oh. That's disappointing. I'm sure you'll do better in your movie! Come on, Mr. Oh's waiting for his future funky-fresh superstar!"

Ricky dragged me out of the theater's lobby and all the way to a flashier building. He told me that this was the studio we were looking for, and inside were several crew members and Mr. Oh.

"Hynden, dah-ling!" he greeted, "Babycakes, angelface!"

"Never say that to me, please," I told him.

"Right right. Are you ready to be a star, my dear?"

"I'm actually gonna be in a movie? You weren't joking about that?!"

"Now, why on Earth would I joke about that, Hynden? Once I decide to make a star, it cannot be unmade! Brycen, can you come in here and help this young girl?"

Mr. Oh clapped twice, and in came the Icirrus City Gym Leader that I faced two years ago. Brycen saw me, and immediately walked over to me with a cool smile and a wave.

"Hynden!" he said, "Has two years passed already? It's been so long since I last saw you!"

"Yep, I'm back in business, Brycen!" I told him. "Shouldn't you be managing the Gym back in Icirrus?"

"On the contrary. I'm no longer a Gym Leader; I've gone back to my first love of acting."

"What?! Did Iris fire you or something?!"

"Of course not. I willingly retired. See, not only was it hard to manage a Gym that _you_ burned to the ground with your Emboar and Darmanitan-"

"Ah, right. Sorry…"

"-But, the life of a Gym Leader grew tiring, so I returned to the big screen like the old days! And now look, you've joined me."

"Well, I'm only here to give it a shot. I'm still trying to get my title back from Iris now that my training's done."

"Even so, I'll still show you the ropes of Pokéstar Studios. Is that what you wanted, Stu?"

"Yes! I didn't know you and Hynden knew each other!"

"Indeed we do. Hynden here was a challenger of mine a couple years back. And for about a month or so, she was also my boss."

"Whatever that means, it's showtime!"

"Hynden, see me when you're ready. I'll be in my dressing room until then."

Brycen left the room, leaving me with Mr. Oh and Ricky. I composed myself and took deep breaths at the decision I had formed in my mind. I went over to Ricky and spoke.

"I'm ready," I said. "It's showtime!"

"Alriiiight!" Ricky cheered. "Let's get you lookin' fa-bu-lous!"

"Don't you mean 'funky-fresh', Ricky?"

"Even better! Now you're speakin' my language, mama!"

His enthusiasm made me chuckle, but he stopped when he saw the PokéBalls on my belt. One by one, he took them off. I tried to stop him, but he already placed them into the safety box.

"Sorry, baby-boo," he apologized, "ya gotta have a certain level of STARDOM~, before you can use your own Poké-pals. We'll supply y'all with the rental Pokémon before we start. Now, let's get you into costume!"

Ricky dragged me into the dressing room and pulled out the clothes I was supposed to wear for the film. He slammed the door shut after leaving since he didn't wanna see me indecent. When I took off my entire outfit, I put on the short thigh-length short-sleeved yellow dress (that was surprisingly easy to pull over my busty chest), white leggings, red knee-high superhero boots, and matching scarlet hero's cape. My hair was still in a ponytail, and I intended to keep Lulu's locket around my neck, but my finishing touch was a red hero's mask that went over my eyes.

"This is… new," I commented. "Let's get started."

I came out of the dressing room, and Ricky inspected me head to toe. When he stopped, he clapped his hands once and smiled from ear to ear.

"Girl, you look soooo funky-fresh, yo!" he beamed, grabbing me by the wrist and dragging me to the set. "Come on! Mr. Brycen's waiting!"

I walked out onto the green-screen filled set with none other than Brycen, who was full-clad in his Brycen-Man costume. He looked at me and nodded proudly, a cool look still on his face. When I looked down, I saw his Pawniard, which made me let out a yelp of fear and flinch.

"Ready?" he asked, handing me a PokéBall.

"Uh, yeah!" I confirmed, pressing the center and calling out a Riolu after calming myself from the sight of a Steel-type.

"Alright, in five, four, three, two…!" the director announced before turning on the camera.

"Hahaha…!" Brycen cackled, "Behold, Pawniard! Soon, this pitiful amusement park shall be brought to its knees! By whom you ask? None other than me, Brycen-Man! Wiiiihahahahaha!"

I saw the man off-set holding up large white cards with my lines visible. Gulping, I took a deep breath, stomped into position, and held my hand out proud towards Brycen.

"N-Not… not SO fast, Brycen-MAN!" I squeaked, butchering the line entirely. "I will STOP your NEFARIOUS plot!"

"Cut!" the director shouted, "Let's try that take again! This time, put emphasis on the right syllables, okay, Hynden?"

"Sorry, I must've choked," I apologized. "First day, remember?"

"Try to stay calm," Brycen advised. "You wouldn't believe how many takes it took me to get the first scene right when I started acting. It'll all come in time."

"Aaaand, we're rolling again! Take two, action!"

"N-Not so fast, BRYCEN-MAN!" I shouted nervously, "I'm GONNA STOP your n-nefarious plot!"

"Cut! Can we get that line again?"

"_Third time's the charm…"_ I thought, taking a deep breath and calming my nerves. "Ready to go!"

"Aaaaaaaand… action! Take three!"

I delivered the line more accurately this time, and I caught a glimpse of the director giving me a thumbs up. The next cue card told me to get Riolu to attack Pawniard with either Ice Punch or Force Palm. Taking one look at Pawniard, I winced with discomfort and immediately told Riolu to use Force Palm, resulting in an instant KO.

"For a mere child, you're rather strong if you can defeat Pawniard!" Brycen-Man remarked, "But, oh-mighty Riolu-Girl, let's see how you do against my mighty Vullaby!"

"I'm not going down so EASILY!" I proclaimed with pretend confidence, giving a determined hero pose.

"Vullaby, bring this mortal's Pokémon to its knees with Feint Attack!" Brycen-Man commanded.

"My trusty partner, U-USE Ice Punch!"

Riolu easily dodged Vullaby's Feint Attack and knocking her out with a single Ice Punch. With a _CLACK_ of the clapperboard and a "Dat's a wrap, everyone!" from the director after the final set of lines were said by me and Brycen, I finally relaxed from the pressure of being filmed.

"Wonderful job, Hynden," Brycen told me. "It wasn't bad for your first try. But next time, try not to panic when delivering the lines, okay?"

"Got it. I gotta admit, it wasn't nearly as exciting as actual battling, but I had fun. Now, I'm gonna go change out of this costume."

I went back to the dressing room and removed my superheroine costume and changed back into my outfit. I picked up my PokéBalls on the way out, but Ricky stopped me briefly.

"Hynden, do y'all want ya movie out on the BIIIIG screen, yo?" Ricky asked enthusiastically. "Is it oh-so-very funky-fresh for it yet?"

"Oh, be my guest," I told him, nodding.

"WONDERFUL~! Let's go see it right now to see how ya did, pretty li'l mama!"

Ricky tapped on his Xtransceiver and sent a message to someone. Then, he followed me to the theater lobby, where we entered the main room after the woman at the counter gave us permission. We were just in time to catch the first few minutes, which went exactly how Brycen and I acted during filming. As the movie progressed, I noticed the audience's attention was completely focused on the screen.

"Is it really that interesting?" I whispered to Ricky.

"Obvs, gurl!" Ricky insisted, "I mean, they ain't bored, are they?"

"No, they aren't."

Towards the end of the film, it was the part where I (or in this case, Riolu-Girl) had my rental Riolu finish Vullaby off with Ice Punch, and I single-handedly swiped the detonator from Brycen-Man and destroyed it before it could be pressed.

"_Curse you, Riolu-Girl!"_ Brycen-Man exclaimed, "_When we meet again, I shall have my revenge on you and the Unova region! This I swear!"_

The moment Brycen-Man disappeared almost instantly, the credits rolled after the words "So once again, the day is saved! Thanks to the brave Riolu-Girl and her partner!" appeared. Everyone in the audience applauded happily, and a few whistles were thrown into the mix. I felt satisfied at my work as Ricky and I left the theater. We then encountered Mr. Oh on the phone with someone.

"Yes yes, Yuu, honey," he said. "I'll pick up dinner on the way home tonight too. Love you, babydoll! Mwah!" He hung up and finally looked at us. "Sorry, that was my husband. He can get a little testy when I come home late, but it's showbiz! So, how'd your first movie go, Hynden?"

"A lot of people seemed to like it," I answered.

"Marvelous! With talent such as yours, you could really make the charts! Why don't you try another movie before you leave, hmm?"

"Well… I dunno."

"Please? Just one more, Hynden sweetie?"

"Fine. But only if you don't call me 'sweetie'," I agreed, showing disdain at his added word.

"Perfect! I can't wait to see how it looks! Maybe one of these days, I'll take my darling Yuu-Yuu to one of your films!"

After Mr. Oh and Ricky left the lobby, I followed suit and headed for the set again to make one last film before I headed off for my next Gym Badge.

* * *

**Pokémon obtained:** None.

**Badges earned:** 2/8

**Boxed/Unboxed:** None.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Mr. Oh's mentioned husband's middle name is "Gregori" (spelled with an "I" for uniqueness). So, put Yuu's name together with the middle initial and see what you get. I just thought I was being practical... Also, it's a little known fact that 90% of the Pokéstar Studios employees are _FABULOUS_ in their own way! Anyways, I'll see you in the next chapter, my lovely readers!


	9. Team Plasma's Return

The list of movies I could try out had expanded when Ricky showed them to me. I saw one by the name of "Mystery Doors of Magical Land", and chose that one due to the cool-sounding title.

"Hynden, don'tcha wanna know what it's about?" Ricky asked me, "I heard it's pretty hard to perform on the first try!"

"Pffft, nothing's too hard for me!" I assured him confidently. "Let's go!"

Ricky guided me into the dressing room and shifted through the costumes on the rack. He pulled out a burgundy princess gown with black shoulder sleeves and wrist-length white gloves. I stared at the dress with disbelief as Ricky held it in front of me before shaking my head no.

"I'm not wearing that," I told him.

"But ya gotta, li'l mama!" Ricky insisted, holding the dress closer to my repelling self. "You're playin' the role of 'Princess Hynden', a spoiled royal who gets trapped in another dimension by the eeeevil Queen Bellelba! Come on, if ya put it on this time, you don't have to do this movie again!"

"No! I don't like wearing all those poofy frou-frou dresses! They make me look silly!"

"C'mon, Hynden! Please put this fab dress on!"

"I'm not putting the dress on!"

Despite what I said 10 minutes earlier, I had just finished pulling the gown over my body and putting on the red heels when Ricky was brushing my long hair and curling it into ringlets.

"I can't believe you made me put the dress on…" I muttered angrily, arms folded after the white gloves were on my hands.

"Lighten up, baby girl!" Ricky assured me, putting my now curled hair into a high side ponytail with a black hair-bow centered with a bright red fake rose. "You look absolutely stunning!"

"Thanks. Let's get this over with so I can find a way to get to Castelia City."

I walked out of the dressing room, the rental PokéBall in one hand (the other busy with picking up the dress to avoid tripping) and Ricky returning to his post. When I arrived onset, I was surprised when I saw the actress playing Bellelba putting on her wig. I didn't know her directly, but I knew who she was.

"Hey, are you Sabrina of the Saffron City Gym?" I asked her, walking up like a child waiting to see Santa.

"Hmm? Oh! Why, yes I am! Who may you be, Miss?" she asked me.

"My name's Hynden. My mother said she faced you once. Do you know Neo-Champion Ritsu by any chance?"

"Wait, you're Ritsu's daughter?! I recall her saying she had a child the last time I saw her, but I never thought I'd meet her in person. You look a lot like your mother, save for your eye color, of course."

"I get that alot. I have my dad's eyes. It's gonna be a pleasure working with you, Miss Sabrina!"

"I look forward to it, Hynden."

"Positions, everyone! We're rolling in five, four, three and two and…!"

A beep went off, signaling the one cue for Sabrina to send out her Woobat, and for me to send out my rental Vanillite. I had to pretend to look intimidated by my "surroundings", and Sabrina appeared as menacing as she could while her Woobat fluttered excitedly in the air.

"Wh-Where am I?" I stuttered, my voice accidentally putting emphasis on the "I" part. "This isn't my glorious castle!"

"Kyahahahahaha!" Sabrina cackled maliciously, "You're right, princess! You're in my realm! Oh, if only you hadn't stumbled across my door; you'd probably be safe at home!"

"And just who do you think you're talking to, you ugly old witch?!"

"Old?! I'll teach a brat like you to make fun of my age! Woobat, sic her!"

"V-Vanilla, help ME!"

Woobat used Supersonic on my rental Vanillite, and it started losing focus quickly. But, Vanillite managed to attack with Icy Wind and leave a huge amount of damage on Woobat.

"Your WOOBAT is done FOR!" I shouted, only for the director to shout "Cut" again. The scene rolled once again, and I restated my line. "Your pitiful little Woobat's DONE for!"

"Or so you think! When I'm through with you, I'll have a brand new servant!"

"La! Me s-serving another p-person! NO WAY! The ONLY one being with servants catering t-to my every whim is me! Vanilla, use Icy Wind again!"

Vanillite's Icy Wind conquered the weakened Woobat easily, but Sabrina sent out a Swoobat to fight.

"I've got you now, wretch! Swoobat, Attract!"

From its heart-shaped tail, Swoobat conjured pink heart-shaped rays and fired them at Vanillite. In a heartbeat, Vanillite fell head-over-heels in love, and the flying Psychic-type did the same due to the Destiny Knot tied in a bow around its lower body.

"Vanilla, snap out of it, dearie! USE Astonish on SwooBAT!"

Vanillite didn't respond to my command due to its mutual infatuation. The camera kept rolling and rolling on Vanillite and Swoobat so lost in each other's eyes until the last scene came up.

"Finish up, Hynden!" the director shouted.

"Vanilla, you use Astonish this instant!" I commanded in a bratty tone.

Vanillite managed to pull itself together and use the Ghost-type move. Despite the super effectiveness of the attack, it wasn't even close to being enough to subdue Swoobat. Following the cue card, I fell to my knees and started to cry Krookodile tears in my apparent defeat.

"How… how could this happen to me?!" I wailed with feigned sadness, my face buried in my gloved hands.

"Kyahahahaha!" Sabrina cackled, walking up to me with a dark smile on her face. "Now, I condemn you to a life of servitude! Your father precious wittle kingdom will fall without his daughter!"

Sabrina quietly instructed me to follow her lead as she bound me by the wrists with fake chains and dragged me far away, cackling madly with my desperate cries for help.

"That's a wrap!" the director called. "Great job, ladies!"

"You really had me convinced, Hynden," Sabrina said to me. "But, you gotta work on your lines a little."

"Noted," I responded as Sabrina took the chains off. "I'm gonna see how the movie turned out and go."

"I hope to see you soon, Hynden! There's a little surprise awaiting you near Driftveil!"

I had no idea what Sabrina was talking about, but I was more than willing to change out of the princess dress and into my more comfortable outfit. I undid my high side ponytail and brushed out the curls before putting it back into my regular high ponytail under my cap. I looked in the mirror and pondered.

"_I guess the ponytail actually did look kinda nice,"_ I thought, "_Bah, I'm just gonna see what the movie looks like! I gotta go soon!"_

I left the dressing room with my regular team attached to my belt. After a pseudo-long walk, I arrived at the theater's lobby and entered the theater once I told the woman what movie I wanted to watch. I sat down in the middle and observed as the screen started playing the movie.

"_Once upon a time, there lived the beautiful Princess Hynden,"_ the announcer declared, showing the hand drawn pictures of me in the princess outfit (that could be easily mistaken for photos). "_Princess Hynden was beloved by all, but on the inside, she was spoiled and rotten to the core."_

"Hynden looks so cute in that dress…!" I heard a familiar-sounding voice whisper from behind me. "Maybe I can get this movie on DVD so I can watch her like this all the time!"

I turned around and squinted my eyes. The light from the screen revealed the person to be Haley, who flinched when I spotted him.

"Haley, what are you doing here?" I whispered. "You didn't follow me, did you?"

"What am I, some kinda stalker?! No, I was looking for you, and some weirdo with a yellow afro told me you were at a place called Pokéstar Studios! Listen, you gotta come back to Virbank! It's super important!"

"What's going on?"

"I'll tell you after the movie! Some people next to me are starting to get put off by my whispers. ...In the meantime, why don't you come sit next to me?"

I couldn't say no to my own best friend, so I had him help me climb to the back over the leather seats. I sat in the seat next to him, and Haley handed me the bag of buttery popcorn.

"Thanks, Hales," I whispered, taking bites of the popcorn.

As I watched the movie I was just in, I stopped chewing the popcorn kernels when Haley leaned his head against me and put his arm around my body. He started nuzzling his head gently with a sly smile until I pulled away from him.

"I'm tryin' to watch, Haley," I said to. "Please don't do that."

"Sorry, won't happen again," he whispered sincerely.

Haley unsurprisingly kept his word as the movie progressed. We shared the popcorn, but as with every past movie visit I had with him, Haley devoured 85% of it. The movie showed its final scene of my character being imprisoned for the rest of her life by Queen Bellelba, and the end credits rolling. Only a few people clapped, but the rest left the theater with indifference.

"Guess it wasn't a big hit like the first one," I sighed. "Oh well, whaddya gonna do?"

"I thought it was the best movie ever!" Haley told me boisterously, applauding as we both got up. "You were just as good as Sabrina! Not to mention, you looked really cute in that princess dress…" he added, turning florid in the cheeks.

"Aww, come on, you," I chuckled, leaving the theater with him, "that dress was the most uncomfortable thing I've ever put on."

When we returned to the lobby, Haley went up to the woman at the counter and asked for a DVD copy of the film. Much to my dismay, she complied and handed the disc to Haley before he happily paid 1500 PokéDollars for it. She also gave him a complimentary disc copy of my Riolu-Girl movie, which made Haley even more elated.

"Seriously?" I asked him.

"What? A guy can't see his cute best friend's greatness on the small screen?" Haley wondered, stashing the DVDs away in his bag. "Now I can watch you act all I want!"

We were nearing the exit when we overheard a rude guy with dirty blond hair under a backwards cap comment about the movie I was just in. He remarked on how "bland and fake" I sounded, and that he'd rather watch paint dry. The guy passed us and shoved me out of the way in an even ruder fashion.

"Watch it!" I snapped.

"I'll do that when you get some acting lessons, ya dumb bitch!" he insulted on his way to the men's room.

I let out a growl of anger, but I decided he wasn't worth my time, so I brushed it off as I fixed my chestnut peek-a-bangs. However, when I looked over at Haley, his now-dull and furious red eyes were completely fixated on the bathroom door.

"I gotta use it," he growled, stomping over to the restroom.

"Haley, don't-" I tried to say, but it was too late when he already walked into the bathroom.

Going into the men's room when you're a girl is not something to willingly do in public, so I had no choice but to wait things out. I stood near the ladies' room next to it to wait for my friend. But, my eyes widened with horror when I heard the rude guy's choked screams of pain and a slash swiftly running across a deep layer of skin. A toilet flush and long faucet run were heard after a low and maddening cackle, and out came Haley; placing his white-and-red jacket over his black tank top, which was splattered with blood just like his forehead. Haley's eyes went from dull and frightening to normal when he looked at me.

"Sorry, I've been holding it in all day," is what he told me. "And, you don't have to worry about that jackass now. We had a little talk, and now he realizes how _cutthroat_ movie biz can be."

"Y-Yeah… let's get out of here, shall we?" I laughed very uneasily, grabbing Haley by his wet wrists and practically dragging him out of the lobby.

"Oh, I just remembered!" Haley gasped as I kept running with him to the Pokéstar Studios exit, "We need you in Virbank! _They've_ come back…!"

"Who they?" I asked, ceasing my run once we were in the gate. "...Wait, don't tell me. Is it-"

"Yep! Those Plasma dickheads have come back to wreak havoc! Augh, they make my blood boil so damn much! You're gonna help me and Roxie take them down, right?"

"I wouldn't dream of refusing," I hissed, "I drove 'em out of Unova once, so I'm gonna do it again! Lead the way, Haley!"

Haley took me all the way past the Virbank City Gym, where we saw the group of Plasma Grunts near Roxie. I glared as my vision went crimson again and Storm's Blade reacted with the electricity emanating from my body, but I calmed myself and made the energy go away.

"_I'm not gonna flip, I'm not gonna flip…"_ I thought as Haley and I got closer to Roxie.

"About time! What took you so long to fetch Hynden, Haley?" Roxie asked. "And why's there blood on your face?"

"Long story, and I got a little distracted," Haley stated before snarling at Team Plasma. "As for _you_ guys! I've got an entire skeleton to pick with you! You're gonna pay for what you did to Julia!"

"Hmm, and who's that?" the Plasma Grunt asked snidely.

"Don't play dumb! I may not have been living here for very long, but I've heard enough about you! You run around filching Pokémon like they're nothing, and then you try and justify it with your 'liberation' bullshit! People like that make me fucking _sick_!"

"Hmph, as if we're gonna let some teenaged brat and his friends talk us down like that! Plasma Grunts, attack!"

Each of the three Plasma members took all of us on. While Roxie called out Koffing to fight and Haley used Ace, I sent out Percy against the Grunt's Patrat.

"Patrat, use-" the Grunt tried to say.

"Perseus, Force Palm," I said, deadpan.

With only one harsh toss using a single hand, Percy threw Patrat across the street until it landed into the bay. It flopped around and paddled itself to shore, and all the Plasma Grunt could do was stare in disbelief.

"That wasn't much of a challenge if you ask me," Percy remarked before I recalled him.

"W-We lost!" the other two Grunt cried.

"Just try and catch us!" the Plasma Grunt I defeated taunted as he ran off with the other two.

"Get back here!" Haley shouted, voice full of pure rage. "They're not getting away from me!"

"Are you coming with us, Roxie?" I asked her.

"Nah, I gotta stay behind and practice for my concert tonight," she answered. "But, you two have my complete thanks! If you hadn't helped, my Pokémon would be gone forever! As a reward, this is yours."

Roxie handed me the Hidden Machine known as Cut, and a slip of paper with a random assortment of letters and numbers on it. While I thanked her for the HM and put it away, I was confused at the note.

"It's the code for my newest album, 'Fill Me With Your Poison'," Roxie told me. "I don't usually give these away for free, but you've earned it. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a Scolipede Bass that's waitin' for me ta play 'er."

When Roxie left for the Virbank City Gym, Haley and I made our way back to Route 20. Along the way, the fury never once left my childhood friend's face as we passed through the gates and into the sunny forest.

"Haley-" I started to say.

"I'm peachy!" he yelled, "We're gonna find Team Plasma, and kick their teeth in! Hynden, search nearby!"

I ran down the hill with Haley and kept searching until we reached the bridge. Our search was fruitless, which made my friend even more upset. But, we both noticed someone run past us.

"It's them!" Haley shouted.

"I'll take care of this," I told him, about to follow until Haley grabbed my wrist.

"Hynden, I wanna come with you. I've got some unfinished business with these stooges that you wouldn't get."

"Oh really? These bozos ruined my life when I first faced them. Leave this to me, Haley." When Haley wouldn't let go, I had to think of some way to get rid of him for now. "I think I saw another Plasma Grunt over there! They're gonna steal some kid's Pokémon!"

"Oh-ho, fuck that!" Haley growled, running off in the direction I pointed in after letting me go.

"It's not gonna take him long to figure out I tricked him," I said to myself, running as fast as I could, "so I'd better hurry!"

Beyond the trees, the female Plasma Grunt saw that I spotted her and called out her Purrloin in defense. I sent out Tidus to fight, but Purrloin attacked with Sand-Attack, causing Tidus to try and rub the sand from his brown eyes.

"Tidus, Vine Whip!" I commanded.

Once he could see a little better, Tidus grabbed Purrloin by its tail using his vines. He tossed it on the ground several times until he left it winded. Although Purrloin managed one more Sand-Attack, Tidus defeated it with a critical Tackle.

"I… gotta go!" the Plasma Grunt laughed sheepishly, taking her Purrloin and fleeing.

When I walked away from the trees after returning Tidus to his PokéBall, I saw Haley run up to me with a frustrated expression and trying to catch his breath. He saw the defeated Grunt and couldn't make an effort to stop her again.

"You tricked me!" he panted, "There was no other Grunt here at all!"

"Hey, I had to find some way to find the Grunt myself," I said.

"Ugh, typical of you. Listen, I just heard her say something about 'boats', so maybe they're escaping by boat! Come on, let's go to the Virbank Docks!"

Haley and I ran all the way back to Virbank City, past the Gym until we found the place we were looking for. Haley hastily made his way through the door and past Roxie and Pop Rox, who were conversing.

"Roxie, honey, I'm sorry," he apologized.

"Nah, I'm the sorry one, pop," Roxie said. "Shouldn't have shot down your dreams like that."

"No, don't apologize! I was the one who nearly endangered everyone! And for what? To get a big flop in the movies?! Gah, what was I thinking?!"

"If it makes it any better, I liked your Riolu-Man movie. It rocked hard in its own way! Besides, if you wanna improve, then just practice during your free time."

"...Okay, I will. But for now, these docks need their captain!"

Pop Rox pulled his daughter into a hug, but that's when Roxie heard me from behind her. She stopped hugging her dad to face me, clearing her throat once before talking.

"How much did ya see?" she asked me.

"All of it," I answered, smiling.

"Y-Yeah. Anyways, those Team Plasma dinks got away. There's a chance they're taking to the seas, so my pop's willing to let you and your friend Haley sail."

"Really? You'd do that for us, Pop Rox?"

"Of course! If it weren't for your advice, then I'd be giving up my hopes altogether! Also, you helped my daughter, so why not? Come on!"

When Roxie left at the same time her dad went inside the building, I put my goal to get the next badge on hold in favor of this new task. Without any hesitation, I went inside of the building to begin my trip to Castelia City.

* * *

**Pokémon obtained:** None.

**Badges earned:** 2/8

**Boxed/Unboxed: **None.

* * *

**Author's Note:** TBH, the "Mystery Door" movie can go fuck itself. Sabrina's stupid Swoobat kept using Attract on Vanillite even when I tried again, and I couldn't get a good ending! God, that was annoying! Anybutt, for those of you who are actually reading this, go ahead and leave a review, and stay tuned for Chapter 10 that's coming soon!


	10. Plasma Under The Big City!

**Author's Note:** Yaaay! First follow! Thanks to that person! Oh, and as a heads up, this update gets a wee bit gruesome at a certain part. But, it's only a small part, so don't worry, okay? Anyways, here's Chapter 10 for my readers! Happy Reading to those people!

* * *

"Captain, set sail for Castelia City!" Haley told Pop Rox before turning to me. "You're ready, right, Hynden?"

"More than ready, Hales!" I assured him.

Pop Rox opened the desk, allowing Haley and I to walk through. We were out in the harbor and Pop Rox told us to walk onto the giant ship he gestured at.

"Ain't she a beaut?" he asked proudly. "I tell ya, the S.S. Cantarella's gonna be sailin' for years! Setting sail for the main land now!"

When Pop Rox got behind the ship's main wheel, the S.S. Cantarella started moving away from Virbank and in a whole new direction. The very sights of the ocean made my heart beat with wonder, as I was a lover of the water. I was indeed tempted to take a nice long swim in the sea, but that would have been risky, so I stayed put and stared at the waters; the wind blowing through my ponytail as we kept sailing.

"Just like Olivine," I sighed dreamily.

"It is, isn't it?" Haley remarked, standing next to me and staring at the sea too. "Hell, this boat ride's also pretty soothing. It's just the two of us here on deck. I tell ya, if Julia were on with us, she'd blow chunks the second we set sail!"

"That'd be pretty messy."

"Trust me, it is." Haley then looked at me with warm dark ruby eyes, extremely content with the surroundings. "Like I said, it's peaceful here, especially since I'm with you, and no one else is here to stop that."

"I guess. Too bad we never get to hang out together like we used to."

"Well, once we kick some Plasma butt when we get to Castelia, we could change that. Remember my proposal?"

"Oh yeah. You're talking about when you asked me on a date earlier?"

"I-It's not… it's not a date per se! W-We're just spending time together!"

"Whatever 'floats your boat', Haley!"

My joke made Haley laugh, and I found myself joining in with my friend. But, our laughter was cut short by the horn sounding off as we arrived in the bustling Castelia City. When we got off the boat, Haley stared at the large buildings in awe.

"Wow… this place is huge!" Haley breathed.

"Exactly what I said when I first came here," I commented. "Remember, we have a task in mind."

"Right! Team Plasma, your asses are grass, and I'm the goddamn chainsaw! Hynden, come on!"

"Haley, don't you think we should split up for this one?" I suggested.

"S-Split up? Split up?! No!" Haley refused in a panicky tone. "I've been separated from you for too long to go back to those days! We do this together as a team! Besides, this is kind of a big city, and you know the way around better than I do. Can you be my guide, Hynden?"

"Fine… Let's go."

It had been a while since I was last in Castelia, so most of the city was gone from my memory. But, telling Haley that would do nothing, leaving my only option to looking at my Town Map. However, it was also gonna be really hard searching the city on foot. I stopped in my tracks to dial the number of someone I need to speak to.

"Moe, you there?" I asked once the Xtransceiver picked up the call.

"Hynden, dat you?" he asked in his gruff voice, "How ya doin'?"

"Who are you talking to, Hynden?" Haley asked me with suspicion. "Who's this Moe guy I've never heard of?"

"He's the guy fixing my motorbike up after… a little incident," I answered, leaving out the part where I crashed it and damaged my bike severely. "Is Tabitha fixed yet?"

"Not even close! Do you know how badly damaged she is? Just today, she squirted oil in Daisy's face when she was workin' on her!"

"That's not good… Thanks, Moe. Call me when Tabby's fixed up."

I hung up my Xtransceiver and sighed. My motorbike was still broken, so there was no other way to get around the city. As if on cue, we were stopped by a Harlequin juggling three orange balls and standing next to a red motorcycle.

"Hello!" he greeted, "Would you like to try out my motorcycle?" he asked. "Rides are only 250 PokéDollars per person."

"Boy, would I!" I beamed, paying him 500 PokéDollars since Haley was with me.

"Thanks for your patronage, Miss," the Harlequin said to me, handing Haley a rental helmet and kissing the top of my hand.

At seeing this, Haley reached for the sheath near his other pocket shaped like some sort of kitchen knife. Before he could pull anything out, I stopped him from doing anything risky.

"It's okay, Haley," I assured him, "it's just a friendly gesture. Right?"

"Exactly!" the Harlequin agreed.

"Hmm…" Haley hummed, his eyes going from dull to regular. "Okay. Let's go, Hynden!"

I put on my red motorbike helmet as Haley put on his rented black one. I climbed onto the bike before Haley sat in the seat behind me. I turned the keys and revved the engine a few times to make sure the bike was functional.

"Hang onto me tight, Hales," I told him as he wrapped his arms around my waist tightly.

My foot engaged the motorcycle, and Haley and I started zooming through Castelia City. Haley was still holding onto me tightly at the high speed, but I could hear his cries of excitement and thrill as we drove.

"This is awesome!" he exclaimed, "When did you learn to drive a motorcycle?"

"When I was sixteen," I answered, turning into a section between buildings. "I know who we can ask for help!"

I started driving towards the Castelia City Gym and stopped the bike in front of it. Parking it with its kickstand after Haley got off the bike, I removed my helmet and talked to the man at the closed doors.

"Sorry, ma'am, the Gym Leader's not here at the moment," he explained, "come back another day."

"What do you mean Burgh's not here?" I wanted to know, "Where'd he go?!"

"Burgh's not here?"

I turned around to see someone walk close. The person turned out to be my Champion successor, Iris. I waved to her, and she saw me almost instantly when I removed my helmet.

"Hynden! Oh my gosh, it's really you!" she beamed, hugging me tightly. "How goes your training, future title-reclaimer?"

"Pretty well. I just got the Toxic Badge from Roxie! How are things as Champion?"

"Well-"

Iris was cut off by Haley storming up to her and rudely cutting in front of her and hugging my arm protectively. I shot him a glare, but he only gave me a confused look as a response.

"What? She might be a… danger!" Haley insisted, still clinging to me. "I'd bet you're working for Team Plasma and trying to hurt Hynden, aren't you?"

"Haley! Show some respect, will ya?" I scolded. "That's Champion Iris you're being _very_ rude to!"

"Ch-Ch-Champion?! Oh Arceus, I am so sorry!" Haley apologized, bowing several times on his knees. "I didn't know who took Hynden's place!"

"It's okay, you really wouldn't figure out I'm the Champion since I'm in my street clothes," Iris said. "Also, what the heck are you talking about? Hynden took care of Team Plasma years ago!"

"Yeah, but they came back," I corrected. "Haley and I are here to stop them."

"Lemme help you then!"

"Champion Iris, ma'am," Haley interrupted with a genuinely polite tone, "with all due respect, Hynden and I are fine by ourselves. You know, just _her and me_. I'm sure we can-"

"-Let you be of assistance! Lead us to greatness, Iris!"

"Great! I've got a hunch of where they'd be! Follow me!"

Iris called out her Hydreigon, which made Haley wide-eyed with intimidation. But, the Dragon-type actually made me remember a time where I had to face one, and I lost a dear friend because of it. Although a low growl of dark bitterness escaped my throat, I calmed down and focused on the task at hand. Iris flew off on her Hydreigon, and Haley and I followed her on the motorcycle. I was going at a speed that felt even faster than last time, as evident by Haley's screams on the seat behind me.

"S-Slow down, Hynden!" he shouted over the engine as I made a sharp turn.

"You're right, I'll just stop," I decided, slamming the brakes once Iris and Hydreigon stopped at a spot. Haley accidentally rammed his head into mine and removed his helmet while catching his breath.

"You drive like a maniac…" he panted, "No wonder your other motorbike's broken!"

Ignoring Haley, I walked over to Iris, who recalled Hydreigon to its PokéBall. She led us far down until we reached another pier. Below us was a gaping hole that smelled of raw sewage.

"There ya go," she said, pinching her nose to block out the smell. "The Castelia Sewers. Lots of suspicious people and street creeps hide out in there!"

"Blech! What's that stench?!" I gagged.

"That, my dear Hynden, is the sweet stench of revenge!" Haley declared, despite his nose being blocked by his nose being pinched. "Down we go!"

Without a second thought, Haley dragged me down in through the sewer's entrance. The moment we entered the pungent-smelling, vermin-infested underground, we were ambushed by a tag team consisting of a Zubat and a Rattata.

"What else would you find in a sewer?" I asked rhetorically. "Perseus, take care of this!"

"Ace, let's go!" Haley called, sending out his newly-evolved Pignite.

"He's a Pignite already?" I asked.

"Yep! Lots a training goes a long way, Hynden!"

"He's right, Miss!" Ace agreed, flexing his muscles. "I was a wimp before we trained! Now, I'm a jerk and everybody loves me!"

"Let's hope that part with the 'jerk' isn't true," Percy uttered, "it's bad enough I have to live with a boorish Fire-type already."

Ace used Flame Charge to punt-kick Rattata across the sewer. Perseus used a Force Palm attack on Zubat, leaving it paralyzed. Just as Haley was about to finish the Zubat off, I stopped him when I got an idea.

"This one's coming with me," I decided.

"I am? S-Sure, I don't mind! Thanks!" Zubat thanked me. "I'm Rubella, nice to meet you! Aren't I just the prettiest little Zubat you ever did see?"

"I'm Hynden, your new Trainer," I said to her, throwing the Great Ball that resulted in a flawless catch, even though Rubella got boxed due to my full party. "I could use another flyer on my team."

"Trying to get a Crobat like your dad's?"

"Maybe. Let's keep searching through the sewers. Team Plasma's gotta be close-by."

Once our Pokémon were recalled, Haley and I kept traversing the Castelia Sewers. We both found two staircases, and from the height we were standing at, two Plasma Grunts were in sight. We followed the one that led directly to it and approached the Grunts immediately.

"Stop right there, Team Plasma!" I proclaimed.

"And why should we?" the Grunts taunted. "Two little kids aren't gonna stop us!"

"Oh really?" Haley spat, sending Ace out. "These two 'little kids' have Pokémon that are waiting to knock you all the way to Cinnabar Island!"

"Hmph, I guess we'll humor you two. Go on, try and stop us."

The Grunts sent out a Sandile and a Scraggy. My choice of Pokémon was Tidus to pit against the Sandile, which would lead to an easy victory on my half.

"Tidus, use-" I began.

"Ace, Flame Charge on Sandile!" Haley ordered.

Before I could object, Ace KO-ed the Sandile with one single Flame Charge. Tidus and I stood in disbelief at not getting to attack, so I exchanged him for little Phoebe to see if the Scraggy could be taken down.

"Phoebe, use Bug-" I was about to say.

"Ace, Arm Thrust!" Haley interrupted.

It only took one brutal strike from Ace's hand to subdue Scraggy, which I still couldn't believe. As Haley had a satisfied smirk on his face, I shot him an outraged glare at the so-called "battle".

"What?" he asked.

"You know 'what'!" I snapped, recalling Phoebe. "I didn't get to attack once! Stop taking all the glory!"

"Whoops. Guess I got a little carried away. Sorry, Hynden! I promise I'll let you have the next one!"

"Pffft, not even giving your girlfriend a chance to fight?" the Grunt taunted.

"I'm not his girlfriend!" I insisted, embarrassed. "He's just my friend, got it?"

"Girlfriend, regular friend, doesn't matter!" the other Grunt added, walking up to me. "You're all pitiful just the same!"

Suddenly, the Grunt grabbed me by the neck and held me up with one hand as I gasped for air. I tried reaching for Storm's Blade as defense, but the other Grunt took my katana and tossed it aside, scabbard and all.

"We may have lost, but you're not gonna get in our way!" the Grunt taunted, grasping my neck tighter. "We will conquer the Unova region, even if it means getting rid of you one way or another!"

"S-Stop it…" I choked, frustrated, "Let me go now!"

The Grunt that held me captive started laughing maniacally until he stopped so suddenly and let me go before I fell to the ground coughing. His face was frozen with shock. I looked behind him and saw Haley, who was holding Storm's Blade and pushing the blade even further through the Grunt's body. When he yanked it out and the Grunt fell to the floor, he had an indignant and very dark expression. He knelt and grabbed the Plasma Grunt by the collar.

"You lot make me sick," he hissed with dull and dark eyes, "and here's one thing: you _never_ hurt Hynden in front of me."

Paying no heed to the horror on my face, Haley dropped my blood-stained katana, unsheathed a kitchen knife from his right side, and stabbed the Plasma Grunt in the side of his neck. When the second Plasma Grunt tearfully tried to attack Haley in revenge for his dead friend, Haley merely slashed the second Grunt's throat before stabbing his aorta to make sure he was dead.

"Glad that's over," he said without a hint of remorse, grabbing the bodies and tossing them over the railing until they were out of sight. "Stupid Plasma Grunts, ruining everyone's lives! And to think they've got the gall to roam these streets again."

I was still in shock, picking up my sword and looking over the ledge at where the corpses had landed. I looked at Haley, still horrified at what he had done. He handed me a handkerchief for my sword, but that didn't change how I felt at all.

"You should probably clean your blade," Haley told me with a calm smile, his eyes back to normal. "I can't risk getting you in trouble."

"What… Haley, what were you THINKING?!" I shouted as I wiped the blood clean off my sword and getting rid of the blood-stained handkerchief. "Why are you acting like this is nothing?! You just murdered two people in _cold blood_!"

"Those weren't 'people', Hynden," Haley retorted bitterly, "they were monsters. Everyone on Team Plasma's a monster! Going around stealing Pokémon like that! It's sickening!"

"Yeah, I agree with you, but you didn't have to kill them!"

"Of course I did. They were hurting you; I wasn't going to stand by and let you get choked!"

"Then why didn't you help me another way?! You could have just made him let me go!"

"I did. If the katana blade through the stomach did anything."

"That's not what I meant! You could have done any other method _but_ that one! I can't believe you would just murder two Grunts and not feel a shred of guilt!"

"Why should I? They had it coming, and you know it. No one hurts you when I'm around, Hynden. Ever."

"How could you say that, Haley?! What you just did is unbelievable, even for you! It's not only that, but you're sick and wrong for justifying it!"

My raised tone made Haley's eyes widen with shock. He turned away from me with a hurt expression, which started to make me feel a little bad. I still thought Haley killing those guys was unacceptable, but the whole thing was all too much altogether. The silence between us was broken when Haley asked his next question.

"...Do you hate me now?" he asked, turning to me with sadness and paranoia.

"N-No, I could never hate you, Haley," I said honestly. "You're my best friend in the world, but you can't just go around killing people like that. It's not good both morally and legally."

"Okay then. But I'm still gonna stick by you, Hynden! I'm not gonna make you feel unsafe around me ever again!"

"We got a deal then?"

"Yes, we do!"

Haley and I intertwined our fingers partially and wiggled them around, which was our traditional secret handshake. Just then, we heard someone walk in from behind. When they came into the light, I recognized the person right away.

"Hey, are you the Gym Leader guy of this city?" Haley asked.

"Why, yes I am," Burgh confirmed. "My name is Burgh, the Castelia City Gym Leader." He then turned to me with a warm smile. "And, I see a familiar face is among us today."

"Hi, Burgh," I greeted. "It's good to see you after so long."

"Good to see you again too, Hynden. What brings you and your friend to the sewers?"

"We're hunting Team Plasma," Haley answered. "They're here in Castelia."

"I am aware. I'm after them too. Since I've found nothing, and they aren't around here either, let's go back to the city."

With Haley beside me and my katana re-sheathed, I followed Burgh towards the exit. But, we were all stopped by a glasses-wearing adult man with light blonde hair in an odd fashion wearing a white lab coat over black and periwinkle clothes. He approached me and Haley, and had a small smile on his face.

"I couldn't help but notice the way the two of you battled," the man commented. "Not to mention, this young lad stepping in to protect his friend afterwards."

"I did what had to be done," Haley answered, much to my chagrin. "I'm always looking out for my friend!"

"And who may you be, sir?" Burgh asked.

"My name is of no importance right now," the man said. "It will come in time, but that has yet to happen. Farewell."

The man mysteriously walked past us until he was out of sight. The three of us scratched our heads in confusion as to what just happened, but we shrugged it off and left the pungent Castelia Sewers.

"Finally," I sighed, "that place reeked."

"I'll say," Haley agreed. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some Plasma goons to track down! They're not getting away from me, and Jules will finally be happy again!"

Before I could warn him not to repeat what he did in the sewers, Haley bolted off like lightning, so I was unable to catch him in time. When he was out of sight, I instantly got a message on my Xtransceiver, coincidentally from Haley himself. The message said 'meet me in the CA when u have the badge', followed by one that said 'PS, CA is the Central Area. C U then! '.

"Hynden, what do you plan on doing next?" Burgh asked me, cutting me away from my thoughts. "Are you going to challenge my Gym? Or would you like some more time to prepare first?"

"Typically, I would go right ahead and take you on," I said, "but I wanna train a little more so I know I'll be prepared. After all, I might not win if I don't."

"How very careful of you. I recommend training back in the Castelia Sewers since that's where all the challenging Pokémon are. I'll see you in a little while, my dear!" Burgh said, flipping his permed auburn hair and walking off in style.

"_Two years, and you never change, Burgh,"_ I thought after watching him leave.

I walked back to the Castelia Sewers entrance and gulped. Plugging my nose to block the smell out for a little bit, I went back into the dark and foul-smelling crevices of the sewers, preparing to train my team some more for the upcoming duel that would get me the Insect Badge.

* * *

**Pokémon obtained:** Rubella the Zubat, Female, Docile nature, Somewhat vain.

**Badges earned:** 2/8

**Boxed/Unboxed:** Rubella the Zubat (Boxed).

* * *

**Author's Note:** This really has nothing to do with the story, but I've been more motivated to finish Mirai Nikki all of a sudden. I started it a long time back, and I stopped watching for a while. I'm a little over halfway through the anime, and it's pretty good like when I first watched it! Stay tuned for the next chapter, guys!


	11. The Swarm Of A Century! (VS Burgh)

**Author's Note:** Hello, everybody! I finally got this chapter done, even after that unpleasant conversation with the idiot flamer who left the recent "review". No matter, I have blocked them, and they're untalented in writing anyways. I have _pre-school_ age cousins more mature than them, and they need to get an actual life instead of being an arrogant bint (who hasn't even written a story since last June because of all the constructive criticism in their reviews, JFC...). People have told them to stop and called them out on their shit, and it's pathetic that good advice falls on deaf flamer ears (especially if the flamer's apparently older than I am, like _WOW_).

But to those who aren't them, here's the chapter for you. Never expected the last chapter to get the most views besides the first chapter. Holy shit, everyone...

* * *

Luckily, there was a small field located close to the Sewers. When I found it atop a staircase underground, I couldn't have been more relieved to have discovered a less troublesome training spot. It was bad enough I had to make several trips to the Pokémon Center and back due to all of the Rattata and Zubat taking down my Pokémon after they just barely got some experience.

The field wasn't much, save for a few patches of tall grass, a single tree, and a commemorative plaque on the tree bark.

"'In honor of our fair city's founder, Cassidy S. Manatan. Your legacy shall forever be cherished.'," I read aloud. "This must be where it all began for Castelia City."

Glancing at the plaque one more time, I wandered into the tall grass and was abruptly ambushed by two wild Rattata. My two Pokémon of choice were Tidus and Michi, who needed the most training out of everyone. Although they attacked with Vine Whip and Water Gun respectively, it hardly did anything on the wild Pokémon. In the blink of an eye, Michi was bitten by a critical Hyper Fang, causing her to faint instantly before I recalled her in exchange for Phoebe.

"Tidus, use Wrap!" I commanded, "Phoebe, Razor Leaf!"

Stretching his body somewhat, Tidus constricted himself around one of the Rattata until he left a perpetual bind on it. Now that its movements were restricted, Tidus had the opportunity to use Tackle and inflict more damage on it. While he was taking down the first Rattata, little Phoebe slashed several cuts into the second Rattata's body. But when she least expected it, Rattata 2 used a critical Hyper Fang on her.

"W-W-WAAAAAAAA!" she wailed upon being bitten, "Big brother, the mean Rattle-ta bit me!"

"Paws off my sister!" Tidus snapped, shoving the first Rattata off of him and striking the second one with Vine Whip. When it was seemingly unconscious, Tidus took a look at the bite. "Are you okay, Phoebe?"

"I-It bits me, Tidus…" she whimpered, tears still welling in her eyes.

"Shhh, it's okay. Big brother's here now. It'll be okay, little one."

After I sprayed Phoebe's bite mark with my last Potion, Tidus pulled his adoptive little sister into a tender hug. I saw one of the Rattata about to pounce at them with Bite. Before I could warn my Pokémon, Tidus slapped Rattata away with Vine Whip.

"What was that, Tidus?" Phoebe asked innocently.

"Nothing, Phoebe," Tidus lied with a calm smile as he pulled apart from Phoebe.

The two continued fighting the rather strong Rattata with all their might. Tidus and Phoebe managed to evade their attacks at first, but as the battle continued, the purple rodents kept wearing them out. Rattata 1 started to charge at Phoebe with another Bite attack, but Tidus jumped in the way and took the hit instead.

"T-Tidus!" Phoebe cried.

Before she could react anymore, one of the Rattata used Hyper Fang on Phoebe, resulting in her harsh defeat. I returned both of my fainted Pokémon to their Balls and high-tailed it out of that place. I escaped the Castelia Sewers and rushed into the Pokémon Center to heal my team. Once the brief health scan had been completed, I took my PokéBalls back, only for Tidus to pop out of his.

"Hynden, I need to ask you something," he said. "What type of Pokémon does Burgh use?"

"Bug-types, why?" I asked him.

"I thought so. Look, I'm not sure if Phoebe will be able to handle the Gym. The Bug-types might be super effective against her since she's half Grass. She can battle if she chooses to, but if things don't turn out well, then it's for the better we put her in the PC, lest she get hurt again."

"Man, you're really looking out for Phoebe, aren't you? Ever since we found her, she's been your main focus entirely."

"...A sibling's duty is to always safeguard their younger ones. Those who can't follow that aren't fit to call themselves a sibling. Doesn't that friend of yours do the same for his little sister?"

"Yeah, Haley does. But, he keeps mentioning how Team Plasma made Julia upset somehow. That's probably his reason for hating them so much."

"Then he's a good big brother. This Julia girl is lucky to have someone so responsible and caring as a sibling."

Opening Tidus' PokéBall up, his form turned into dim red light and was visibly sucked back into the containment orb. I purchased several more Potions and absconded the red-roofed healing building to find the Castelia City Gym, home of my third Unova badge on my quest of regaining true glory. My Town Map's section on the city told me the exact location of the Gym, so I followed that. Despite the lengthy walk, I completed my search for the building in no time.

The Gym's interior threw me for a loop entirely. Instead of being greeted by the messy walls of sticky golden honey, I instead witnessed an entire room made of a bug's protective silk. I saw some Silcoon and Cascoon-shaped pods all around the white room, and I assumed those were my keys to reaching Burgh. A bottle of Fresh Water dangled down while stuck to a piece of silk. I ripped it off and placed it in my bag before entering the first pod. It took me all the way up to a platform made of more white silk and webs and had another Silcoon pod. Over the course of an entire twenty minutes, I pushed my way through countless webs, silk tubes, and Silcoon or Cascoon pods until one of the silk tubes brought me to an entirely different room, where Burgh was standing before me.

"Is this… paint?" I asked, looking down at the floor filled with nothing but multi-colored water.

"It looks like it, doesn't it?" Burgh asked as I got closer to him. "Ever since you resigned as Champion, I had a little time to do some decorating to the Gym. You wouldn't believe how many happy faces there were when I took down my old honey webs."

"I'm glad you did. I got sand stuck to me last time when I left to face Elesa."

"Are you ready to battle me once again, Hynden? It won't be as easy as last time!"

"We'll see about that, Burgh. You're gonna eat your words when I get the Insect Badge from you again!"

Burgh's first Pokémon that he used in battle was Swadloon, who defensively shielded its face with its leaf skin. I of course sent out Leon to face it since the damage would be doubled due to Swadloon being a Bug and Grass-type.

"Leon, use Ember!" I commanded.

Small wisps of scorching fire were exhaled from Leon's breath, inflicting a harsh burn on Swadloon. It winced with each time the flames burned away a part of its flammable skin, but it still kept fighting strong.

"Swadloon, use Struggle Bug!"

All of a sudden, Leon was attacked by Swadloon, who was enveloped in a ruddy aura and struck my Growlithe before he could even react. Of course, the winner of that round was none other than Leon, who knocked the unfortunate Swadloon out with another Ember attack. Once the huddled Bug-type fell to the multiple-colored floor, it retreated into its spherical capsule at Burgh's command.

"Dwebble, go!" he shouted, flinging the red-and-white PokéBall that soon summoned forth his Dwebble.

"Leon, switch," I told him, holding up his PokéBall.

"Aah? Why should I?" Leon asked, "Bug-types don't stand a chance against the great me!"

"But _you_ don't stand a chance against Bug-types that are also Rock-types," I added, recalling Leon and throwing a different PokéBall. "Perseus, it's your turn!"

"Dwebble, use Smack Down," Burgh instructed.

"Perseus, dodge and use Force Palm!" I told him.

A large stone came hurtling towards Percy, but my Riolu was fast enough to take a great leap out of the way, causing the rock to instead collide with the wall. At the right moment, Percy grabbed Dwebble by the shell, held it as high as he could, and slammed him harshly onto the surface. When the Rock Inn Pokémon picked itself up, it had visible cracks running down its otherwise solid shell.

"Dwebble, use Rock Polish!" Burgh ordered.

Dwebble was able to make its shell glow bright. As the shell illuminated to a brightness that could make the moon jealous, the cracks began mending together until they were non-existent when Dwebble's shell stopped glowing.

"Great, now use Struggle Bug!" Burgh commanded.

Much like its predecessor, Dwebble surrounded itself in a red aura. It nearly leaped at Percy and started crushing his abdomen with its thick claws. Percy screamed out in pain as he tried ripping himself from Dwebble's grip. Out of everyone in this room, I definitely considered myself the most worried.

"Perseus, try to break free with Rock Smash!" I cried.

Summoning his strength, Percy shakily raised a black paw above Dwebble. The moment he had enough power to do so, Percy crashed his hand down onto his opponent's shell and body, resulting in a critical and instant knock out.

"Return," Burgh said, recalling Dwebble to its PokéBall. "Well done, my friend. Take a long rest, and we'll take a trip to the Pokémon Center after this."

"Is that all you got, Burgh?" I asked him.

"Oh no, quite the opposite, Hynden," Burgh assured me, taking out his third and final PokéBall. "My Leavanny will take care of you for sure!"

As if on cue, Burgh's last Pokémon took the stage, standing gracefully and ready to battle at the same time. Before I thought about sending out my next Pokémon, I pondered the possibilities first.

"_Typically, Leavanny are known for their high Attack,"_ I thought. "_But, their Speed's pretty impressive too. I'd better take care of the latter first before I start attacking!"_

Instead of sending Leon out again like I originally intended to, I called Phoebe out of her PokéBall. Both Burgh and Leavanny looked at me like I had two heads, taken by surprise and confusion at my choice of Pokémon for the final round.

"Hynden, are you aware that your Sewaddle's part Grass?" Burgh asked.

"Yeah, but I'm not using her to attack," I stated. "Phoebe, String Shot!"

From Phoebe's mouth shot a thick white silk that wrapped itself around Leavanny tightly, rendering it nearly immobile. While I still had the chance, I sent Leon out while Leavanny used Cut to free its arms from its silky constraints.

"Leavanny, use Razor Leaf!" Burgh exclaimed.

The honed leaves came flying from Leavanny's arms and slicing right through Leon as if he were made of tissue, in spite of him trying to dodge the attack. I hastily sprayed his cuts with a Potion, and Leon was moderately ready to fight again.

"Leon, Flame Wheel!" I told him to do.

Pushing his body forward, Leon started to roll and roll until he was a lethal ball of flames, heading straight for Leavanny. The Bug-type tried to escape the attack, but its legs were still tied together with Phoebe's String Shot. Because of that, Leon was able to get a clear shot on Leavanny, leaving it just barely standing. When Burgh sprayed Leavanny with a Hyper Potion of all things, my face and Leon's fell with utter disappointment.

"What the hell?!" Leon complained, "He can't do that!"

"No, he can," I refuted. "As the former Champion, I know all Gym Leaders and Elite Four members are allowed one Potion type of their choosing per battle. So, it's only against the rules to use two."

"You could have changed that! Ugh, some ex-Champion."

I told Leon to use another Ember attack on Leavanny, which inflicted a burn this time around. Unfortunately, the flames burned off what remained of Leavanny's String Shot constraints, so it was free to move about again. Just as it was charging up another Razor Leaf attack before releasing it, Leon panicked and used a sudden Ember, which not only incinerated the Razor Leaf, but also burned Leavanny until it lost consciousness.

"Glad that's over," Leon panted, calming himself down. "That Leavanny's a beast!"

When Leavanny was recalled, Burgh clapped at mine and Leon's performance with a proud look on his face. With one flip of his bouncy copper hair, he walked over to me, the Insect Badge between his index finger and thumb

"Well done once again, Hynden," Burgh said to me. "Even after all this time, you still manage to amaze me with your battle skills. Because you won, I give you the Insect Badge."

"We did it! Badge number three is ours!" I cheered, taking the badge and putting it in the third slot of my Badge Case. I then knelt down to Leon with a cheeky smile as I began scratching his back. "Great job out there, Leon. Who's a good boy?"

"I-I dunno, who is?" Leon asked, his tail wagging with excitement as I scratched his back.

"You are, silly! You're a good boy!" I answered, now scratching Leon's stomach as he rolled over onto his back, his tail still wagging wildly and his lower left leg jerking up and down.

"Hahaha! I'm a good boy, I'm a good boy!" Leon chortled as his tongue went in and out of his mouth while he panted excitedly as I kept giving him tummy rubs and scratches.

"Hynden," Burgh spoke, interrupting what I was doing. "You may have won, but I advise you to not underestimate those with a type disadvantage. Just look at how much of a fight Leavanny put up."

"That's true," I agreed, taking my hand off of a disappointed Leon. "I'll be a lot more careful next time, Burgh. I promise."

"Good. I assume you're headed to Nimbasa City after this?"

"Yeah! I'm gonna get the Bolt Badge."

"Okay. But, I must warn you, Elesa's a little 'out-of-sorts' right now."

"Noted. Thanks for the battle, Burgh."

I took out Leon's PokéBall with the intention of recalling him for the time being, but he looked up at me with pleading puppy eyes. He let out a few whimpers, so I put the Ball away for now.

"...Can I have another tummy rub before I go back in?" he asked, still begging as he got on his back.

"Sure," I agreed, kneeling and lightly scratching Leon's furry and warm underside, causing him to pant and chuckle as his leg started jerking in unison with his tail wagging underneath him. "Who's a good boy, Leon? You are! You're a good boy!"

"Haha, yeah! I'm such a good boy!" Leon guffawed, reveling in my gentle scratches.

After giving Leon enough tummy rubs, I returned him to his PokéBall. I climbed down the hole and into the silk tube. I slid down the strong silk until I was back in the Gym's lobby. When I left the building, I headed towards the Pokémon Center to run a couple of errands before I could continue on my journey.

* * *

**Pokémon obtained:** None.

**Badges earned:** 3/8

**Boxed/Unboxed:** None.

* * *

**Author's Note:** It's been a while since I've played White 2, so updates come the more I progress through the game unlike with the previous story (which I started after beating White 1). So if updates take a while, then it's likely because of all the Gym Leaders kicking my teeth in and my lack of time with playing the game. Stay tuned for Chapter 12.


	12. An Evening in the City of Grandeur

**Author's Note:** Welcome back, guys! I can see that this story's actually getting more views. The recent chapters are even rivaling the first when it comes to the view count! Even if this story doesn't get too many reviews, it's good to see that it still had a moderate amount of readers. So, enjoy the update! It's a little extra, but I wouldn't consider it "filler" since it's pretty damn important.

* * *

I tacked away at the PC's keyboard, making the final few adjustments. I looked at Phoebe's PokéBall on the transfer machine next to the computer and clicked "Confirm", which made the containment orb disappear until Phoebe's data was in the PC.

"And now, I can welcome the new girl," I said, placing Rubella's PokéBall into the party until her Great Ball took form.

I took the Great Ball into my palm, shrank it, and attached it to my belt as I made my leave from the Pokémon Center since my team was now completely healthy. The noise my Xtransceiver made signaled a new message. I checked it and saw that the sender was Haley.

"'Did u get the badge yet?'" I read back, remembering our deal the last time we saw each other.

I texted Haley back with a message saying that I got the badge and I'd meet him in the Central Plaza as soon as possible. Following the Town Map, I made it to the place where I agreed to rendezvous with Haley for our outing. There weren't very many people around the square since it was almost sundown, but I saw Haley, his back facing me while he leaned on the fountain's ledge in a position that required him leaning his head against his left hand and his right palm gingerly atop his hip.

"Haley?" I asked, "What are you doing?"

When he heard my voice, Haley turned his head to face me. He had a pleasant smirk on his face and a fake rose in his mouth. I noticed he was also starting to switch positions so he could completely face me.

"Well, hello, Hynden-" he started to say smoothly until he lost his balance and fell backwards. "GAH!"

In a large splash, Haley fell into the fountain water. I was laughing at his silliness, but I of course went over to help my drenched friend out of the water. When he pulled himself back up to the surface, I pulled him from the fountain along with the rose.

"Real smooth," I laughed jokingly.

"Oh, whatever," Haley scoffed before pointing to the red rose I was holding. "You're free to keep that."

"I am? Thanks."

"Ya ready? I've planned some special events for us."

"Yep! Let's go, Hales!"

Haley guided me all the way to one of the docks, where we stood below the reception gate in front of a large cruise ship. The sign next to the gate said "Royal Unova", which I assumed to be the name of the large ship in front of us. Haley paid the necessary fee for both me and him, and the person in charge of the gate let us walk up the towering metal ramp until we were on deck.

"All aboard!" the captain shouted, sounding off an alarm before the cruise started sailing away from the docks.

"Where are we going?" I asked Haley.

"Nowhere," he answered. "According to my city guide, the Royal Unova only takes an hour-and-a-half long trip around some of the region, and then it comes back to port until the next evening."

"That's kind of a ripoff. Why build this huge ship if you're only going through some of Unova?"

"Beats me. But, let's enjoy the time we have on here, shall we?"

As the Royal Unova sailed further away from Castelia City, I looked up at the setting sun beyond the horizon. The orange and yellow hues beautifully blending with the oncoming darkness of the night that waited in the wings was truly a sight to behold. The light glimmered in my pewter eyes, my mind utterly enthralled by the beauty before me.

"I can't think of anything more beautiful than this," I breathed.

"Oh, I can," Haley retorted, glancing at me.

"Ah, come on. I think this sunset can top whatever you're thinking of. Look at this!"

Haley leaned on the ship's railway and gazed upon the sunset with me. Just the sight of the slow sunset made me feel so relaxed, which made my head unconsciously lean onto one of Haley's shoulders. I only noticed and removed my head when he flinched nervously.

"Sorry," I told him.

"No no, it's okay," he insisted, blushing. "You're free to lean on my shoulder if you want."

"Really, I didn't mean to do that. Uhh, is there anything else we can do on this ship?"

"Yeah, let's see." Haley examined his Castelia City guide, flipped to another section, and skimmed his finger down until he found something on the Royal Unova. "Yep! You're gonna like this; there are tons of Trainers aboard, ready to be battled until the cruise ends!"

"This is a battle boat?! In that case, let's go! I could use some training before I go to the next city."

My childhood friend followed me into the inside of the cruise ship. The steward told us that there were four Trainers total that were ready for battle behind most of the blue doors, but to also be careful of the ones that like to waste a lot of time. Haley and I weren't sure where the real Trainers were at, so our best bet was guessing and being careful.

"He said the blue doors?" Haley wondered, "Well, let's go into that one!" he exclaimed, pointing to the first one he saw.

"Wait, Haley, he said _most_ of the doors," I warned him. "We might not even-"

Haley didn't let me finish my sentence, instead rushing in and opening the blue door right open. However, he quickly regretted his actions when we saw a Rich Boy Trainer on top of a Lady one. They were both clothes-less save for a few necessary pieces of undergarment. When they saw us, the Rich Boy ripped himself away from the Lady's mouth and angrily stormed over to the door, holding onto the boxers around his waist.

"Do you mind?!" he screeched, "Some of us _aren't_ here to battle! Now, scat, you filthy plebeians!"

The Rich Boy slammed the door, leaving Haley and I with flushed faces of pure embarrassment. We quickly got as far away from the room as possible to avoid hearing what would most likely proceed the Rich Boy's outburst.

"...Well, I guess those two were getting ready for a 'battle' of their own," Haley remarked, still embarrassed.

"Haley!" I screeched at his suggestive remark.

"What? It's true. Anyways, let's go see if anyone really is willing to battle."

We spotted another blue door that was a safe distance away from the first. This time, I took the liberty of knocking and waited for the consent of the person behind the door.

"Come in!" said the chipper voice of a girl before I opened the door. "My name's Sybil, are you looking for a battle?"

"That's right!" I confirmed, taking out one of my PokéBalls at the same time Haley did.

"Great! I've been stuck on this boring cruise with Grandma Cassie all evening! A battle's just what the doctor ordered! And since I've got two of my friends on me, this'll be a two against one!"

"You're on!" Haley exclaimed.

"Budew, Sewaddle, let's go!" Sybil chirped, summoning her two Pokémon.

"Rubella, take the stage!" I shouted, calling out my new Zubat.

"Kuina, show 'em what you're made of!" Haley said, tossing the PokéBall that contained the once-sickly Pidove he rescued.

I was surprised at the swift recovery Kuina had made since I last saw her, but at the same time, I was impressed with how well Haley had taken great care of her. When I told Rubella to use Wing Attack on Budew, Haley instructed Kuina to use Air Cutter on Sewaddle. In seconds, both Grass-types were defeated.

"Oh, pooh!" Sybil cursed with a huff. "Here are your payments, you two."

Sybil handed me and Haley 256 PokéDollars each for defeating her. We both thanked her for a good battle, recalled our Flying-types, and left Sybil's room in search of another Trainer. We found another blue door, which an elderly woman resided in.

"Hello, young ones," she greeted with a small wave and a light, yet kindly smile. "My name's Cassandra. Would you like to battle?"

"Sure!" Haley agreed with confidence.

"Ah, but I only have one Pokémon with me right now," Cassandra added. "So, I can only take one opponent."

"I'll go," I volunteered, raising my hand halfway. "I've got someone who needs some more training at the moment."

"Okay. You go on ahead, Hynden. I'll just watch for now."

Cassandra's only Pokémon was Purrloin. The Pokémon I decided to go with was none other than Percy, who I felt needed to help build a stronger bond of trust between Trainer and Pokémon. This time around, he seemed a little more willing to fight.

"Perseus, Force Palm!" I commanded.

"Purrloin, dearie, use Fury Swipes," Cassandra told it.

Percy's feline opponent was faster than him, so it got the chance to attack first. Its sharp retractable claws dug right into Percy's skin over and over until it decided he'd had enough for now. Percy retaliated by grabbing Purrloin and tossing it aside harshly.

"Great job!" I said to Percy, "Now, use Quick Attack!"

Purrloin didn't stand a chance. Its futile attempt to strike Percy again was foiled by his high speed and nearly-invisible attack. After only one hit, Purrloin fell with defeat. When his opponent was recalled, Percy stared for a minute before becoming jubilant.

"I won!" he cheered, "And it's… it's all thanks to you, Hynden! After that Burgh battle, you really are a worthy human. From this day forth, you have my trust."

Percy reached his hand up to me and gestured for me to shake it. When I happily did, his entire arm started producing a bright blue mystical aura. I quickly let go of it, and as I looked closer, Percy's entire form was beginning to change. His body got taller, his ears longer, and four large spikes protruded from individual parts of his body. The aura dissipated, and there was Percy; a new and improved Lucario.

"Perseus!" I gasped with amazement, "You, you finally evolved! Does that mean we're officially friends now?"

"...Indeed," Percy decided with a more mature and masculine voice. "But from now on, you have my permission to refer to me as 'Percy'. I will accept nothing less."

"You got it, Percy!"

I opened my PokéDex to check Percy's new stats, but I nearly dropped it with horror when I found out he had a new type. Beside the word "FIGHT" was a five-letter word I never thought I'd see under my ownership: "STEEL". The very word mocked me the longer I gazed at it, electricity crackling at my fingertips until I snapped myself out of it.

"What's wrong, Hynden?" Percy asked me with worry.

"...It's, it's nothing, Percy," I assured him, putting away my PokéDex and recalling my Lucario. "Thanks for the battle, Cassandra."

"Oh, anytime," she said as Haley and I made our leave.

When we closed the door behind us, it was Haley's turn to look at me with concern in his eyes rather than the other way around. The expression I showed him was one recovering from a huge shock and mixed feelings about what I just saw.

"Is this about your Lucario?" he asked. "I mean, they are part-Steel, so…"

"You know what?" I wondered, "Percy's gonna be an exception. Yeah, Steel-types still terrify me to no end, but I can't kick him off the team for that reason alone. Friends don't do that to each other."

"Are you sure? Even after what happened with Lulu?"

"More than sure. I'm positive. After all, I gotta bring myself to try and get over my vendetta someday, don't I?"

Suddenly, three boat alarms sounded off as the Royal Unova came to a complete stop. The speakers announced that we had returned to Castelia City. When Haley and I made our leave, the sky was nearly dusk.

"We must have been on for a long time," I guessed.

"Probably. It sure didn't feel like 45 minutes."

"So, is that the end of our time together in Castelia?"  
"No, not yet! There's one more place we gotta go to! Come on!"

Haley dragged me all the way to the small, yet dimming Narrow Street. We stopped when we reached a bright orange door that Haley knocked on seven times in a certain rhythm. A secret peep-hole slid open so only a pair of hazel eyes were visible.

"Reservation code?" the voice asked.

"Struggle Bug," Haley answered.

"Ah, Mr. O'Malley and guest! Come right in!"

The orange door opened and changed the scenery before me entirely. Inside was a small café with brown walls and a carpeted floor of the same color (albeit in a darker shade). There weren't very many people or tables, but a friendly waiter guided us to a table that was just abandoned by a female Veteran and a male Clerk.

"Would the lovely lady and her date like to order now?" the waiter asked.

"Hmm, let me see the menu first," I said, examining the menu on the table and quickly making a decision. "Ah! Haley and I will share one large Castelia Pizza, please."

"Excellent choice. It will be ready in about fifteen minutes."

Haley thanked the waiter before he left, leaving him to turn his attention to me. I looked him in the eyes for a few moments, and the silence was finally broken by Haley speaking.

"So, tell me about yourself," Haley said jokingly.

"Haley, please," I laughed, "we've known each other since Trainers' School, remember? I think you know enough about me."

"Yeah, I know. I figured I'd say that at least once with you."

"Well, why don't you tell me something about yourself. Something I don't already know."

"Like…?"

"Like your beef with Team Plasma. I hate them as much as you do, but I don't think I ever caught your reason for it."

Red eyes that were once joyful quickly fell sullen and grim. I could also detect anger and resent in his eyes at my question. Haley's eyebrows furrowed as he dug his blunt fingertips into his forehead in frustration.

"...I'll never forgive them for what they did," he growled. "First, they take Minnie from Julia, and then, then they do THAT!"

"What? Did what? Who's 'Minnie'?"

"Minnie was my sister's Purrloin. Around the time you and your folks left Johto, my maternal grandfather came back from his yearly trips to this region. It was his last hurrah since at that point, he'd been told he only had one more month to live. Since it was Julia's birthday when he did return, he gave her a present before he died. And that present, of course, was Minnie. While Min didn't really like me all too well, she and Jules were borderline _inseparable_, kinda like how close you were with Lulu, Hynden."

My hand went to my treasured locket. I lifted it slightly with my thumb and index finger, and the only thing I could do was look at it with somber pewter eyes. I could only imagine how close Julia and Minnie were for Haley to use my relationship with Lulu as a comparison.

"...Go on," I said grimly, letting go of the gold-and-silver locket until it dangled in front of my chest again.

"Anyways, things were great between them. When Grandpa finally kicked the bucket a month and a half longer than he was told, Jules wouldn't let Minnie out of her sight no matter what. I guess you could say it was her way of keeping Grandpa close in memory. But, then _they_ came," he snarled. "Did I ever tell you why my family left Goldenrod City, Hynden?"

"No, you haven't. Is it because of-"

"That's right! Team Plasma's to blame! What they did… it's total bullshit, and I get pissed just thinking about it! Before we came here, they tried spreading their 'good word' around other regions. And by that, I mean whatever city they could get their grubby hands on, they decimated when no one complied. And you can only guess how many people actually went with them."

"They were in Johto?! When?!"

"Right before they came to Unova, so I'd say about three or four years ago. I dunno what shit they pulled here, but what they did in Goldenrod felt ten times worse. Hynden, they destroyed pretty much _everything_! The Department Store along with Whitney's Gym got burned to the ground, the Radio Tower and Magnet Train were destroyed, and lemme tell you; there were several Pokémon that lost their lives that day. Even Whitney's brute of a Miltank."

"What?! Not Milty!" I gasped.

"Oh, but that's not all! As if destroying my hometown wasn't enough, my house was one of the many that got raided and assaulted! If only I'd become a Trainer sooner; I could've stopped them from stealing Minnie away from Julia! Not only that, but Daisy would still be alive too!"

"Who's Daisy? Someone you know?"

"Thanks to Team Plasma, my mother's Meganium is now childless. Belle's never been the same ever since we heard the sound of a Bayleef's neck snap for the first and hopefully last time…" Haley visibly gagged at the last part, the memory obviously disturbing him greatly.

Even before Haley's tale, I knew Team Plasma were disgusting and ignorant thugs bent on ruining things for everyone. But now, I hated them even more for doing such awful things to innocent civilians. The horrific images Haley described played inside of my head like a movie, and I didn't like what was happening. My thoughts thankfully stopped imagining it when I heard Haley start sobbing, his fingers clutching his forehead.

"Why do you think I'm trying to get stronger?" he choked, tears leaking from his eyes profusely, "I can't let anything like that happen ever again! I want Team Plasma to pay, and I'm tired of losing the things I hold dear to me! If I don't find them and set things right, then what good am I?!"

As Haley continued to sob, I put my hand on the back of his head, feeling his spiky raven hair against my fingers. When he lifted his head up at my touch and looked at me with tear-stained burgundy eyes, I clasped his fingerless-gloved hands together with my own in the blink of an eye.

"I'm gonna help you," I decided with a determined smile. "If Team Plasma decides to cross me while I'm getting the rest of the Unova League badges, then they won't stand a chance against us! I mean, I took 'em down once, so I'll do it again!"

"You, you'd do that?" Haley sniffled, blinking away the rest of his tears.

"Why not? Anything for my best friend! Haley, I'm gonna help you get Minnie back and take down Team Plasma for good! No one should have to suffer because of them anymore, and as the future Champion, I'll ensure that!"

I released Haley's hands, which allowed him to wipe the rest of the tears from his eyes. It was easy to see that he was starting to cheer up a little because of my genuine promise, but his face lit up even more when the waiter brought us the pizza we ordered.

"Enjoy," he said, walking away right after.

"Alright!" Haley cheered, already taking two slices onto his plate. "This'll now be a 'celebration pizza' now that I've got some help in taking down Team Plasma!" He raised one of his slices up proudly, supporting the bottom so as not to let the cheese drip off. "A toast to a new alliance! Down with Team Plasma!"

"Down with Team Plasma!" I said back, raising my pizza slice to touch Haley's before pulling it back.

I wasn't even two bites into my pizza slice when I noticed Haley was almost done his second slice and already going for another one. Although my friend's large appetite wasn't anything out of the ordinary, I knew it was a good sign that he'd started to bounce back from his earlier slump and continued eating my own slice of the delicious and mouth-watering fusion of melted cheese, sauce, and toppings that took the form of the Castelia Pizza.

* * *

After our meal, I split the small bill with Haley and we left. We wished each other goodnight, and did our personal handshake together. Haley glanced over at the fake red rose sticking out of my bag, smiling at the sight and turning a lighter shade of the flower's color.

"Did you have fun tonight?" he asked me.

"Yeah, let's do something like that again sometime," I answered. "It's been so long since we've hung out together. I mean, we're best friends, so that's all the more reason to."

"R-Right! Well, have a good night, Hynden. Good luck in your next Gym battle!"

I pulled Haley into an embrace, which he of course hesitated to let go of. After a few more extra seconds, I finally got him to let go and left in favor of the Pokémon Center. When I checked into a room after healing my Pokémon up, I changed into my pajamas, shut the lights off, and climbed into bed, hoping for another good night of sleep to come straight to me as I slowly fell asleep.

* * *

**Pokémon obtained: **None.

**Badges earned: **3/8

**Boxed/Unboxed:** Phoebe the Sewaddle (Boxed).

Rubella the Zubat (Unboxed).

* * *

**Author's Note:** The more I thought about it, the more I realized that the stolen Purrloin wasn't enough reason for Haley to hate Team Plasma, so I decided to add a teeny bit more to his reason (The Great Siege of Goldenrod, anyone). PS, this kind of explains why Whitney's Miltank in the PWT has a different move-set, though in-game, it might just be the same pink terror we all know and loathe. So, I hope you all liked this chapter, and I'll see you the next time! And that next time will be none other than Chapter 13!


	13. Not-so Deserted Nightmares!

**Author's Note:** Why, hello, everyone! I'm glad I finally got this chapter done; it was pretty damn long to write. I was gonna split it near the end, but I wanted to wrap up the entire Route 4 visit in one chapter. Things should pick up a little more the next chapter, though there's some pretty cool stuff here too. But, I'll let you find that out for yourselves when you read it. Enjoy, everyone!

* * *

_Pitch black. In my dream, that was all I could see before me. I stepped further along the dark until I spotted a dim light in the far distance. The light got closer and closer, but I stopped in my tracks when I saw what was in it. Before me were my deceased Pokémon friends from two years ago, and among them, my late Pidgeot companion, Lulu._

"_Guys?" I breathed, walking closer until I picked up speed. "It's you! It's really you!"_

_I stopped running and knelt down to hug the anticipating Chiro. Unfortunately, the moment I made physical contact with my late Lillipup, he winced in pain as blood suddenly flew from his body in unison with familiar electric sparks. All I could do was stare in horror and scream as Chiro's blood dripped down my arms, dropping his body and trying to fix things._

"_Ch-Charlie!" I gasped, only for my Pansage to suddenly perish at the sudden slash wounds and shocks when I touched him. "Eliza! Lola?! Jesse?! K-Kagami!"_

_After my Cubchoo's body had burst into a mess of blood and carnage before falling to the floor dead as a doornail, the process repeated for Toothie and Gummy, the wounds appearing worse and worse as I kept witnessing my Pokémon's bodies splattering at my electrically-charged and deathly touch. I looked at the corpses in horror; collapsing to the ground and fighting back the strong urge to vomit. The blood all over my arms didn't help one bit; it only exacerbated my terrified hyperventilation. The only reason my uneasy breaths stopped was because I felt something gentle touch my head. Shakily looking up, I saw Lulu; her physical form scintillating in the darkness around us._

"_L-Luluby…" I breathed, tears streaming from my eyes as I walked closer._

_I quickly stopped myself from making direct contact with the fluttering Lulu, lest she wind up like my previous teammates. Alas, my relief was cruelly short-lived, as the evil Magneton from my past hovered behind Lulu. My Pidgeot friend did nothing. She didn't turn around, fly away, or make any attempt to escape. Instead, she kept flying in place as if nothing was wrong._

_When I looked at the Magneton again, it changed appearance entirely. Instead of the look a normal Magneton had, it was colored exactly like Zekrom; black coating, red eyes, and all. It charged up what appeared to be a familiar Magnet Bomb, the same move that took Lulu's life after it nearly did mine. But, this one also had Zekrom's electrical charge to it, much like my own touch because of the Dark Stone._

"_Lulu! Watch out!" I shrieked, making an attempt to use myself as a shield for Lulu._

_My attempt was unsuccessful. Lulu purposely stopped me by spreading her wings out as far as they could. I tried and begged her to let me protect her, even going so far as to bang on her stomach to persuade her. Even that attempt proved fruitless, and before I knew it, the electrical Magnet Bomb struck Lulu in the back, the sound of her spine and bones snapping adding to the gruesome scene._

_No words could escape my throat at all. As Lulu's massacred remains fell to the black floor beneath me, I fell to my knees in despair. I was frozen in shock as grief, and I didn't care at all about the tears leaking from my gray eyes. All I could focus on was the corpses of my friends around me, lying motionless and still in death._

"_How does it feel, Hynden?" the Magneton taunted, bringing my attention to it. "Does it feel good to know that everything you hold dear always dies because of you?"_

"_Sh-Shut it! That's not-"_

"_-True? Oh, on the contrary. I think it's nothing but the truth. Think about it, you kill everything that comes too close to you. The moment you're provoked, you strike something down in cold blood with that blade of yours."_

"_Not anymore! My training helped with that! B-Besides, that was all the Dark Stone's doing!"_

"_Ah, but remember what it told you? The only reason it's doing that is because of your own despair and self-consciousness. Face it; it's your fault, it's always been your fault, and it's always going to be, guess what? YOUR FAULT!"_

"_You're wrong! You're wrong! You don't know anything!"_

"_Of course I do! If anyone's the wrong one, it's you! You can't protect your own friends! Murderer! Filthy murderer!"_

_I desperately blocked out the Zekrom-Magneton's taunts by clasping my hands to my ears. But, the taunts became completely audible even with that when the corpses of my friends rose and joined in the taunting. Their bloodied forms started walking closer and closer towards me, ripping my hands away from my ears and ignoring my pleas to stop._

"_Murderer, murderer, murderer…" they all chanted eerily._

"_Stop! I'm not a murderer! I didn't kill any of you!" I pleaded, my sobs overtaking my voice._

"_Murderer… murderer, murderer!" the corpses continued to chant, growing increasingly louder with each repeated word. Just then, Lulu's corpse rose and joined in, getting closer and closer to me with her haunting form._

"_Murderer! YOU'RE A MURDERER!" she screamed at a blood-curdling volume._

* * *

"NO, I'M NOT!" I screamed, awaking from my bed in a fright.

My messy and down chestnut locks were matted to my skin because of my sweat-doused skin. My heart pounded in my chest with no mercy, which made my breathing heavier with anxiety. When I was able to move again, I quickly leaped from the bed and rushed into the bathroom, filling up the sink with cold water and dunking my head in in for one second before pulling up for air. I looked at the mirror, my own reflection drenched with water and scarred with the memory of the nightmares. The longer I looked in the mirror, the angrier I became. I saw that my eyes turned completely scarlet, a dark aura surrounded me again, and the same shockwaves crackled at my entire arms instead of just my hands.

"_**Auuugh, son of a BITCH!**_" I screamed, the light in the bathroom instantly bursting at my rage. The power outage inside of the small bathroom caused me to bolt from my anger until I felt as though I was back to normal. "...I gotta try and go back to bed," I sighed, still disoriented from the nightmare.

I dragged myself out of the bathroom, only to see all six of my Pokémon out of their PokéBalls and physically in the room. Every single one of them had concerned looks on their faces.

"Everything's fine, guys," I lied.

"No, it isn't," Tidus said. "Sit down, Hynden."

"What's wrong?" Michi asked when I sat on my bed. "Did you have a bad dream?"

"Yeah, I did," I answered, "but it's nothing to get bent out of shape over."

"Clearly it is if you were screaming and crying in your sleep," Leon retorted. "Ya wanna talk about it?"

"What are these nightmares that keep disturbing you?" Eris questioned, curling up on my lap.

"...They're about my friends," I answered. "I keep having these terrible visions of them."

"Your friends?" Percy wondered. "You mean like that Haley guy? From what I've heard, he seems to be quite enamored by you."

"No, not Haley," I sighed. "Besides, I've already known that for a long time. What I'm worrying about are my dead _Pokémon_ friends. Before I met you guys, I had other teammates that kept dying instead of fainting regularly. I know Nuzlocke Syndrome's gone and I shouldn't have to worry anymore, but… these damn nightmares keep haunting me! If I'd have saved them, then this wouldn't be happening!"

My voice started getting choked up from my returning sobs, and I buried my face in my hands to catch the tears, wishing that I weren't such a murderous monster. When I felt something flutter onto my messy head, my remorse-wracked sobs turned to sniffles when I recognized Rubella.

"You're not a monster, Hynden!" Rubella assured me. "I may not have the 'seniority' of all of you, but I can tell I'm gonna like it here!"

"B-But, Rubes, everyone died because of me!" I choked.

"No, they didn't," Tidus said in his natural English accent. "It was because of this 'Nuzlocke Syndrome' I've heard you mention, not you. I know what it's like to blame yourself for not being able to protect someone who died, but you have to look past your guilt to see the logic behind it."

"Y-Yeah, I know that, Tidus. But, how do I make these nightmares stop? No matter what I keep telling myself, they just keep coming and coming."

"Then we'll sleep by you!" Rubella told me, "Right, guys?"

"Yep!" everyone else agreed, curling up in spots close to me.

The very fact that my Pokémon cared so much about me to the point they were trying to make me feel better. I felt calm enough to rest comfortably. I crawled back under my sheets and tepid comforter. Michi slept on my lap, Eris and Percy had dozed off on the other bed (I could only imagine how they'd react come morning), Rubella was suspended from the ceiling, Leon slept at the foot of my bed, and Tidus was at a distance that was close to me but away from Leon.

"Good night, everyone…" I whispered, drifting back into sleep contently.

* * *

I woke up the next morning sometime close to 9:30 am. Rubbing the crust from my left eye before I took care of the scarred right one, I reached for Michi to take her off. But, I quickly noticed that where my Azurill once laid was a sleeping Marill in her place. Not only that, but a puddle of water was now on the sheets where Michi was sleeping.

"Oh, come on," I groaned. "You just had to evolve _there_, didn't you?"

I lifted Michi off of my lap, enabling me to get out of bed and get dressed. I took a clean version of my outfit with me into the powerless bathroom and got dressed quickly, styling my hair and all. When I left and put my pajamas away, I clapped my hands until everyone was fully awake.

"Mrrrmmph…" Eris and Percy muttered, snapping awake when they saw each other in an apparent cuddle. They pulled away and turned away from the other, arms folded stubbornly.

"Don't you say a word, mutt," Eris hissed.

"Wouldn't dream of it," Percy spat back.

"Alright, guys, let's get a move on! We're going to Nimbasa City today!" I announced.

"N-Nimbasa?! We're finally going?!" Eris beamed, scampering up to me excitedly. "At last! I'll see the sights, the sounds, and… her! The one and only Miss Elesa!"

"Oh, trust me. You'll meet her alright," I assured Eris, recalling her into her PokéBall.

I did the same with the rest of my teammates and attached each Ball to my belt, but stopped at the newly-evolved Michi. I shook her gently until she awoke. She blinked at my surprised expression and raised a confused eyebrow.

"What?" she asked, "Do I have sleepies in my eyes?"

"Why don't you check?" I suggested. "It's better if you get them out yourself."

"I guess you're right, but I-" Michi paused the moment her new paw touched her eye. She looked at the appendage with shock and amazement. "Don't tell me!"

Michi hopped over to the room's mirror and stared at her new form head to toe. No longer was a little Azurill looking back at her. Instead, it was the Marill she was now. Michi's surprise quickly melted into joy when she finished examining herself.

"Check me out! I've evolved!" she beamed. "I guess I really like being with you, huh, Hynden?"

"Yeah. Although, I never heard of a Pokémon evolving in their sleep before. Did you dream about me?"

"Hmm, not sure. But, who cares? I'm a Marill! I have arms, and I don't have to use my tail to get around anymore! Now, what are we waiting for? Let's hit the road already!"

I recalled Michi to her PokéBall. As she disappeared in the red light, her joyous expression never left her face once. I fastened Michi's PokéBall with the others, grabbed my bag, and made my way out of the building once I officially checked out.

The day in the bustling Castelia City was bright and sunny in unison with the warm summery atmosphere around us all. When I headed towards the Central Area to find the Route that lead to Nimbasa City, I stopped when I saw the scientist man from back in the Castelia Sewers.

"Hey, you!" I shouted, grabbing his attention. "Who are you?"

"Ah, I remember you from the Sewers. Say, where has your bloodthirsty friend gone?"

"That's not what I asked. Who are you?"

"My name is Colress, and I'm a Pokémon Researcher. Would you be so kind as to let me examine one of yours?"

I raised a suspicious eyebrow at Colress' sudden introduction. But, he did appear to be a genuine researcher, so I took out the first PokéBall I touched, which turned out to be Rubella's Great Ball. Due to it being broad daylight, Rubella was fast asleep when she came out of her Ball and dangled onto Colress' arm using her feet. But even in her sleep, she was fluttering excitedly while she dreamed.

"Hmm, I've researched several Zubats in my life," Colress commented, holding his arm out so Rubella could hang on, "but yours seems different. I must say she's a lot more lively than one of her typical species. You have done a wonderful job in bringing out your Zubat's potential."

"Thanks," I responded, recalling the sleeping Rubella from Colress' arm.

"If I'm correct, you should be heading towards Nimbasa City. But, you need to cross Route 4 to get there. Before you reach your destination, would you like to have a little battle? I'd like nothing more than to further test my hypothesis."

"You wanna battle? Sure! I'll see you there, Colress!"

"Wonderful! I shall be waiting."

With that, Colress adjusted his glasses and left the city. Before I followed suit, I went over to the vending machine and bought a few Fresh Waters and Soda Pops for the road, in case any danger might come my way. I accidentally bumped into the loaded trash can next to the machine, and out fell two unexpected items lying on the very top: an Amulet Coin, and the move Attract.

"Now who would throw these away?" I wondered, claiming the items as my own. "What a waste. I'd bet Eris would like these."

I moved down the road, passing busy travelers and workers until I was on the desert that was Route 4. I trudged through the deep sand pits to see if there were any wild Pokémon waiting in the wings for battle. A few steps later, and I was ambushed by a Sandile. This one in particular had odd war face markings that resembled black triangles curling around its jaw from the eyes.

"Hi-yah!" Sandile exclaimed, charging at me to try and take a bite out of my body.

I jumped out of the way of Sandile's attack and called out Michi as defense. With one Water Gun spray, her opponent was already down for the count. Instead of asking Michi to finish Sandile off, I decided she could be useful for fighting Elesa, so I captured her with a PokéBall.

"I'm gonna call you… Sticks," I decided as Sticks' PokéBall was transferred to the PC.

From under the sand was another figure. It was extremely fidgety and had a gray coat. When I looked closer, the Pokémon was a Minccino, who was in a panic at the sand.

"Oh, how did I get here?!" she cried. "Filthy sand! So filthy!"

"Hang on, little Minccino," I told her, taking out a small towel from my bag and dusting her off. Although she squirmed around greatly, she stopped when I finished and placed her on a more shallow level of sand.

"I'm, I'm clean!" she gasped happily. "Oh, thank you, Miss! My name is Mocha, what's yours?"

"Hynden. Nice to meet you, Mocha," I greeted back, tapping a hidden Timer Ball to Mocha's forehead until she was successfully captured. Much like Sticks before her, Mocha was boxed due to my full party. "Now to find Colress."

I climbed out of the deep sand pit until I was back on the steady pavement. But, just as I spotted the person I needed to battle, a female Pokémon Breeder stopped me immediately.

"Hold it!" she called, calling out her Drilbur, "I wanna see how well you've raised your Pokémon! Battle me!"

"You're on," I sighed. "Michi, let's go!"

Drilbur attacked first with Metal Claw, which sent shivers down my spine as my vision flashed red for a split second due to the Steel-type move. I focused on the battle at hand and told Michi to attack with Water Gun.

"Drilbur, Mud-Slap!" the Breeder commanded.

In the blink of an eye, Drilbur flung wet sand at Michi, leaving her temporarily blinded. Due to her hindered eyesight, the Bubble Beam attack she attempted missed by a longshot. By the time she cleared the mud from her eyes, Drilbur was ready to attack.

"Quick, use Bubble Beam again!" I commanded.

Before Drilbur could deliver a critical blow, Michi knocked him down with another jet of lethal bubbles. The Pokémon Breeder returned Drilbur to its PokéBall and sent out her Marill. In turn, I exchanged Michi for Tidus, who attacked first with Leaf Tornado.

"Marill, Defense Curl!" the Breeder exclaimed.

Marill curled its body into a ball and coated itself in a round force field of high defense. Despite that, Tidus was able to attack with several Vine Whip attacks. No matter how much Marill stayed strong, it eventually succumbed to my Snivy's vines.

"That was hardly a challenge," Tidus remarked.

Suddenly, a vortex of leaves started spinning around Tidus. I figured he was just using another Leaf Tornado, but instead, the leaves began glowing as the bewildered Tidus started to physically change. The shape of his body got curvier along with his height increasing slightly. More leaves formed on his back, and when the transformation concluded, Tidus came out a Servine.

"New and improved," he remarked. "Has the battle been won?"

"Yep," I confirmed, lowering my hand so Tidus could give me a low-five. "Great job, Tidus!"

The female Breeder paid me 512 PokéDollars as a reward. I recalled Tidus and walked off to find Colress. I eventually came across him in front of a bunch of strange rectangular blocks cutting off the path.

"You made it, Miss…" Colress started until his words drifted off. "Err, what's your name? I don't believe I ever caught it."

"Hynden. Hynden Levare," I answered.

"Lovely name for a lovely young woman," Colress complimented. "Now, I want you to observe closely before we battle."

On each rectangle stone, Colress put a gray device that was shaped like a checker. Taking out a remote from his lab coat, he pressed one of the buttons, triggering something within the checker-chip that caused the rocks to come alive. When I looked closer, the rocks revealed themselves as a group of Crustle, whose eyes turned red and dazed before they manically scrambled across the desert in different directions.

"What did you do to them?" I wondered, a bit put off by their sudden freak-out.

"I reawakened them," Colress answered. "It's likely they were low on energy, so I merely triggered it with my device. Don't you think Pokémon need to act out their full potential at all times?"

"Sure. That's what helps make them strong. Why do you ask?"

"No reason. I just wanted to be sure you agreed with me. Now, are we still going to engage in our battle?"

"Yes, we are! Bring it on!"

"Excellent. Go, Magnemite!"

As he had said, Colress' first Pokémon was, much to my great dismay, a Magnemite. Not only was a Steel-type, but it was the pre-evolved form of the one Pokémon that ruined my life for 12 years. I started taking deep breaths as the Magnet Pokémon looked me dead in the eyes, repressing anything dark I felt within me.

"Oh, is something the matter, Miss Levare?" Colress asked with curiosity.

"N-No, nothing at all! I'm just _peachy_!" I said, my panicked hyperventilation turning into normal breathing. "G-Go, Percy!"

I quickly summoned my Lucario to battle. Due to his high Speed, he was able to attack first with Force Palm. Because of the power of the move, Magnemite was thankfully taken down with one toss across the desert.

"Such potential!" Colress beamed before returning to a cool smile, "Let's see if you still have it with my next Pokémon. Klink, stand by."

Magnemite was withdrawn for yet another Steel-type, causing my nerves to act up again at the sight of my worst fear. Gulping, I switched Percy out for Leon, whom I told to use Fire Fang on sight. Unlike with Magnemite, Klink did not go down in one hit despite the critical damage.

"Keep trying," Colress said, spraying Klink with a Super Potion. "Klink, use Gear Grind."

Colress' Klink moved in closer to Leon, enlarged itself, and furiously spun against my Growlithe. Leon writhed in pain at the attack, so I had to think of something before it was too late. I blinked when an idea hatched inside of my mind, and I decided to make it a reality.

"Leon, use Flame Wheel!" I shouted.

While Klink harshly spun against Leon, my Growlithe turned it in the other direction with a spin of his own. As he picked up speed, his body ignited and set the Steel-type ablaze, defeating it in a heartbeat. When Leon stopped, Colress recalled Klink and clapped in a slow, yet strangely condescending manner.

"Splendid. Just splendid," he told me. "Judging from your Pokémon's power and the fact that you have a Lucario on hand, I can tell that you bring out their full power with your kind heart, don't you?"

"Well, duh," I remarked. "Pokémon can't get stronger or improve if you treat them like dirty slaves. That's just… wrong!"

"Yes, quite a pity some Trainers can be like that. But not you, you're not one of them. You're more like one of the Gym Leaders, or perhaps the Elite Four. I can tell someone like you who can unleash a Pokémon's true power is one who can get far."

"Thanks. ...I think?"

"It's genuine, worry not." Colress let out a sigh of discontent as he readjusted his glasses. "If only bringing out a Pokémon's potential was as simple as asking them to. But alas, it's impossible to talk to Pokémon."

"Actually, I can-"

"No matter! I hope to see you in the future, Miss Levare. Farewell for now, strong one."

Colress walked away until his figure was shrouded by a sudden gust of desert sand. When the gust cleared, the mysterious scientist was out of sight completely. Scratching my head, I blinked several times as my confused mind tried to process what just happened.

"We goin' to Nimbasa now?" Leon asked, "I heard Eris wants to see the sights~"

"Yeah, Leon, we're going. Now, I think someone deserves a nice tummy rub for doing a good job in battle! Who's a good boy, Leon?"

"I-I dunno! I hope it's me! Am I the good boy, Hynden?"

"Yes, you are! You're the good boy!" I confirmed, scratching Leon's belly lightly until he was on his back and shaking his leg excitedly.

"Hahaha, yeah! I'm a good boy! I'm a very good boy!" he panted, reveling in my scratches and belly rubs.

The very moment I took my hand off of Leon, he sat back up straight. I gave him some chin scratches, and that made him wag his tail and pant excitedly. In order to get a move on, I sent Leon back to his ball in a beam of red light. Now that Colress had been taken care of, I made my way down the scorching desert path until I came across the gate I was looking for.

"Here we go!" I proclaimed, marching into the gate with high expectations. "Nimbasa City, here I come!"

* * *

**Pokémon obtained:** Sticks the Sandile, Female, Docile nature, Impetuous and silly.

Mocha the Minccino, Female, Calm nature, Proud of its power.

**Badges earned:** 3/8.

**Boxed:** Sticks the Sandile; Mocha the Minccino (Boxed).

* * *

**Author's Note:** Depending on how quickly you gain its full friendship, Azurill evolved pretty fast and unexpectedly. Also, Marill become Azumarill at only Level 18, can you believe that? But, whatever. I wasn't expecting that. Leave reviews if you want, and I'll see you next time! Stay tuned for Chapter 14, everybody! Until we meet again!


	14. Preparations For The Battle Ahead

**Author's Note:** Hiya, everyone! I noticed this story got a couple of follows and faves, so yay! As a note, this chapter contains a bit of backstory and headcanon if you catch my drift. But, I'm sure you'll find that out when you read this chapter. Enjoy the update I worked on for you guys! PS, I skipped the Join Avenue part because who cares.

* * *

The gates that led to Nimbasa City got an entire makeover from the last time I crossed it. Beneath me were squeaky clean floors that almost resembled a clear mirror, the ceiling was bright and reminisce of a glimmering aurora light, and people were gathered in different shops all around the corner.

"Welcome!" they all said individually.

"Hi there," I greeted back, waving.

"Greetings!" someone with sleek dark hair wearing a formal suit and tie chirped, running up to me with a briefcase full of several types of bottles. "Care for one? It'll make your skin feel smoother than a Happiny's bottom! Only 200 PokéDollars!"

"Well, I guess one wouldn't hurt," I decided, paying the fee and taking a bottle. "Besides, this'll come in handy in the morning. Thanks!"

Once the person was gone, I kept walking through the glamorous gate until I was on the outside. The bright sunny day only blazoned the exciting and scintillating sight of Nimbasa City. Nearly everything was still the same as two years ago; the buildings, the amusement park, the scurrying people just itching to get some sightseeing and activity in.

"Things never change," I laughed.

As I walked past a tall building near the Pokémon Center, something jumped out at me on one of the bridges. Upon closer inspection, it was a small yellow Bug-type with bright blue eyes, one that I now recognized after being in the Unova region longer.

"A Joltik!" I exclaimed, holding the tiny thing in my hands. "Where did you come from, little fella?"

"Hi! Let's play!" Joltik chirped, jumping around in my paws. "Wanna play, huh? Wanna play with me?"

"Well, I think we should get you back to your Trainer instead. Now, do you know where they are? What do they look like?"

"You found him! Pippy, come here!"

Pippy and I turned in the direction the mature male voice was coming from. Running our way was a tall man wearing a white and red-striped long coat, white pants and large shoes of the same color, and a white conductor's hat. In addition, the man had visible silver sideburns along with a grin that seemed almost contagious.

"Oh hey, is this your-"

My sentence was cut off by the man accidentally ramming into me, sending me, him, and Pippy over the bridge and into the canal. Despite the water not being deep enough to drench us, my hat unfortunately fell off and every inch of my hair got soaked along with my clothes. When the man (who was putting his white conductor's hat back over his messy silver locks) took Pippy back from my possession, he looked at me with sharp pale gray eyes full of awe and fascination as I wrung the water out of my hair after I let it down.

"I'm really sorry about that, Miss!" he insisted with a chuckle, scratching the back of his head as his cheeks turned rather pink. "Are you alright?"

"Yep," I answered, putting my damp hair back into a ponytail and fishing around for my hat. "Now, where's my-"

The man before me presented my wrung-out cap, which I took and placed back on my head after thanking him. I climbed out of the canal and back onto the bridge, the man following suit as Pippy clung to his hat.

"Thank you for finding Pippy!" he chirped, "I was wondering where he'd gone to!"

"Actually, I'd say he found me," I retorted. "Say, what's your name anyways?"

"I am Emmet. I am a Subway Boss along with my brother. Wie heißt du?"

"Nice to meet you, Emmet! But, what was that last part?"

"Oops, mein fehler! I'm asking for your name, Miss."

"Oh! I'm Hynden."

"Hynden? Ah, a verrrrry pretty name for someone as beautiful as yourself," Emmet commented, suddenly taking my hand and kissing the top. "Say, would you like to challenge the Battle Subway? I'd be more than happy to battle you!"

"The Battle Subway? Where's that?"

"It's that building right there!"

Emmet pointed to the towering building with the jade green roof, and I stared at it with interest. I nodded to corroborate that I wanted to try it out. But then, another man walked up and approached us. The man looked exactly identical to Emmet, only whatever was white on Emmet (save for the dress shirt) was black on this guy. Secondly, this man had a rather serious expression on his face, which seemed to grow more grim when he took a look at me before diverting his attention back to Emmet. But, the man jumped a bit when Emmet immediately hugged him.

"Ingo! Where'd you go off to?" he chirped before letting the other man go.

"I think I should be asking you the question, mein lieber bruder," he said lightly. When he glanced at me, I flinched at the bitter scowl he gave me. "And who would you be? What exactly are you doing here? If you're lost, then I don't mind pointing you where you need to go."

"I'm Hynden," I introduced. "So, your name is Ingo? Are you a Subway Boss like Emmet here?"

"Yes, I am," Ingo confirmed. "Are you Emmet's latest 'catch'?"

"Catch? What do you- hey! FYI, I was about to challenge this Battle Subway you guys are in charge of!" I retorted, now getting angry with Ingo's attitude.

"Is that so? In that case, why don't we have a tag team battle right this moment?" Ingo suggested. "Nate, can you come over here please?"

Running this way now was a boy that looked to be around my age. He had messy brown hair separated by a carnelian visor, a blue short-sleeved jacket with black sleeves protruding from it, white shorts, black leggings with a single blue stripe on each leg, and red-and-black sneakers. He panted to catch his breath before standing up straighter.

"Yes, Mr. Ingo?" he asked.

"There's no need to use that much formality," Ingo insisted. "Anyways, I need you to be this girl's partner for a tag battle."

"A tag battle?" Nate questioned. "Okay. Are you ready, Miss?"

"More than ready! Let's see what the esteemed Subway Bosses are made of!" I proclaimed.

The four of us all made our way to the front of the Battle Subway. I was standing firmly besides Nate, just as ready to battle as he was. But, I noticed Ingo and Emmet were so synchronized that they almost looked like reflections of a mirror.

"Follow the rules and drive safely!" they both said boisterously, not missing a single word as they pointed. "All aboard!"

At the same time, Ingo and Emmet sent out a Gurdurr and Boldore respectively. My Pokémon of choice was Michi, and Nate's was his Dewott. Nate's Dewott attacked Boldore first with Water Pulse, but due to its Sturdy ability, it was still holding on for dear life.

"Michi, finish with Water Gun!" I commanded.

A powerful blast of water from my Marill's mouth effortlessly defeated Emmet's Boldore. Ingo commanded his Gurdurr to attack Michi with Wake-Up Slap, but Dewott came to her aid with another Water Pulse attack, which left great damage on its opponent.

"Michi, Bubble Beam," I told her.

Michi inhaled sharply and released a torrent of deathly bubbles at Gurdurr, defeating the Pokémon in seconds. Just as my Marill was cheering on her remarkable victory, a sudden whirlpool surrounded her and spread wide towards anyone and thing nearby (myself, Nate, and the twins included) as Michi started glowing bright. When the water submerged, we released our held breaths and were all soaked from head to toe, wringing out and drying anything that was sopping wet. As for Michi, she'd become an Azumarill at last.

"Two in a row!" Michi cheered, clapping her hands joyously.

"Well done," Ingo remarked. "Synchronization is key in a tag team battle. Without it, you wouldn't have been so lucky in defeating me and Emmet."

"Pffft, you call that luck?" I retorted. "Please, that was pure skill in that battle!"

"Excessive cockiness also leads to miserable defeat, bengel," Ingo spat back. "Don't get too full of yourself."

"I'll keep that in mind," I hissed, sharing a mutual glare with Ingo as we became face-to-face.

"You and Nate did a great job, Hynden!" Emmet encouraged, separating me from his brother and intertwining both my hands in his gloved ones. "You're free to come and challenge us anytime!"

"Wonderful! I'll see you next time!"

"Before then, why don't we keep in touch?" Emmet asked smoothly, still smiling. "Perhaps we could exchange Xtransceiver numbers?"

"I'd like that," I decided. "That way, we can rendezvous anytime you and I wanna battle each other. Sound good, Emmet?"

"Verrrrry good! Let's do it!"

I linked my Xtransceiver with Emmet's, and the _PING-PONG-PING_ noise sounded off. Emmet seemed just as happy as I was (if not more), but I was startled when Ingo walked up and linked his own Xtransceiver with mine. I wound up with him as a contact when the noise sounded off after a few seconds.

"Well, that's just wonderful," I scoffed, rolling my eyes.

"Trust me, I'm just as happy as you are," Ingo said back sarcastically. "Whatever you have to say to my younger brother, you can say to me as well. And I'll be checking over it too."

"Bruder!" Emmet whined, "You're acting just like a big ol' guard Houndoom again!"

"Let's go, Em," Ingo insisted, grabbing Emmet by the hand and walking inside with him.

"I'll see you later, Hynden!" Emmet called out, turning around to me and waving with his free hand as he kept following Ingo. "Give me a call SBWM!"

The acronym Emmet just used confused me, but I nodded in agreement as the Subway Bosses returned to the Battle Subway. After I congratulated Michi on a job well done, I recalled her and turned to Nate, who was celebrating with his Dewott.

"We make a good team," I said to him. "When I take on the Subway Bosses again, maybe we could team up again?"

"That sounds fine!" Nate agreed. "We'll challenge the Multi-Train together!" Nate took my hand and shook it. "I'm gonna go train on Route 16. Come see me when you wanna take on the Multi-Train."

"Got it! We'll exchange numbers then!"

When Nate waved me goodbye and left, I suddenly shivered a little despite the extremely warm weather. I had a sinking feeling Nate and I weren't the only two people listening to our conversation, but I decided to ignore the paranoia and start preparing for my battle with Elesa. After one trip to the Pokémon Center to stock up on healing items, I went almost directly south of the Battle Subway and returned to Route 4.

"_Who am I gonna use for the fight?"_ I thought, "_Michi and Rubella are out of the question. I could use Tidus, but Elesa might still have that Zebstrika that knows Flame Charge…"_

My only remaining options were none other than Percy, Leon… and Eris. While I didn't have to worry much about the former two, I remembered how Eris just barely pulled through the fight against Roxie. If I wanted to win using her, then I was gonna have to train her pretty hard. Not only that, but I had to convince her to cooperate with Percy and vice-versa.

"Percy, Eris, Leon, come out!" I called, throwing all three of their PokéBalls up high.

My Pokémon landed in the deep sand pits, all scattered and in different positions. Leon's head was stuck in the sand, while Percy had landed on top of Eris. When Percy got up, he yanked Eris by the tail until she was freed from her sandy prison.

"Ouch! How dare you pull me by my tail?" Eris hissed, still being held upside down by Percy. "You could stand to show me more respect!"

"I don't owe a lazy-ass like you anything," Percy spat back, dropping Eris onto the more shallow ground. "When you prove you're not useless, then I'll consider it."

"Oi, what's with the tude? Be nice to Lady Eris here!" Leon snapped, getting closer to Eris.

"Such a gentleman," Eris purred, nuzzling her head against Leon, making him practically melt at her touch. "Much unlike this ruffian here."

"Yeah! You're a ruffian, Perce!" Leon taunted.

"Likewise, you're just a petty little kiss-up," Percy retorted. "Hynden, can we start training now?"

"That's exactly why I called you all out here," I explained, placing the Amulet Coin around Eris (which made her light up with joy at the shiny trinket). "You three are the only ones who can beat Elesa. So, if any of you are having trouble during training, you gotta help each other out."

"I'd be more than happy to be Lady Eris' aid!" Leon boasted as Eris giggled. "As for this bozo, he can help himself out." He added, pointing to Percy.

"Agreed. If Perseus is so tough, then I'm sure he won't have any struggle," Eris concurred. "Now, shall we begin? I'd like to rest up before I meet _the_ Elesa!" Eris' voice became very hopeful and excited at the very mention of the Nimbasa Gym Leader.

The first opponent was a wild Darumaka, who used Fire Fang on Percy. Because he was now part Steel, the move did more than enough damage. He was still injured, but with a commanded Force Palm, Percy conquered the Darumaka.

"Great job, Perce," I encouraged him, spraying his body with a Super Potion. Just then, a wild Minccino appeared before us. "Eris, your turn. Use Scratch."

Sharpening her claws, Eris left a scratch on the furry body of Minccino. But, due to its oily fur, the attack wasn't as lethal as it could have been because Eris accidentally slipped. Minccino attacked with Swift, but the move hit Leon when he jumped in front of Eris.

"I'll take care of this, babe!" Leon insisted, spinning himself in a circle until his body ignited and rammed into Minccino.

"Allowing your boyfriend to fight your own battles, Eris?" Percy sneered. "Pathetic. You'll never survive that Gym."

"Yes I will! I'm not as much of a lazy cat as you think!" Eris spat back.

"Uh-huh, of _course_ you're not. I totally believe you."

I decided to move my Pokémon to another spot in the desert, near a convenient building with a sign in front of it that said "Free Healing Sessions Here". At least then I didn't have to worry about running between here and the Pokémon Center. Just then, we encountered another wild Minccino, who was furiously brushing the sand off of its fur.

"Eris, try again," I told her. "Use Pursuit."

When my Purrloin started running towards Minccino, it ran away in a desperate attempt at freedom. But, she still caught up to it and attacked mercilessly. Its oily fur lubricated itself out of Eris' grasp and allowed it to go into hiding.

"Now, where has my little prey gone to?" Eris chuckled darkly, prowling around until she spotted the Minccino. "Found you!"

Minccino's second attempt at running away failed like the first. Percy, Leon, and I watched as Eris maimed and mutilated the Mincinno until it was a barely-breathing and bloody mess.

"G-Great job, Eris!" I stuttered, still amazed at her prowess.

"Wow, I'm surprised you actually managed to land a hit on that Minccino," Percy remarked dryly, arms folded against his chest. "Why can't you be more like that instead of being a lazy fatass, hmm?"

"Why I never!" Eris spat, "For your information, I'm nowhere near fat, nor am I 'lazy' like you presume! I have had battle experience!"

"Tch, right. Like I'm gonna believe that. All you do is sleep 24/7, and you only fight when you have to or when it benefits you!"

"Hey, stop disrespectin' Lady Eris!" Leon barked, ganging up on Percy.

"Leon, stay out of this," Eris insisted as Percy shoved Leon off of him and into a sand pit. "All this mongrel knows how to do is judge people based on a first impression, or how they seem rather than how they are. Simply pathetic."

"Listen, fat-cat," Percy growled, shoving a finger to an irked Eris' forehead. "If you were actually there in my past, then you wouldn't be so overly-trusting. I only trust people who prove their worth. Get that through your thick head!"

"You get away from me with that grubby finger of yours!" Eris snapped, pulling herself from Percy's finger. "Oh, why don't you go bully someone who'd actually waste their time with you?! If you were with me in _my_ past, then you wouldn't use such slander against me!"

"What 'slander'? When I look at you, all I see is some primadonna fat cat who only cares when the situation benefits her! It's surprising Hynden even bothered to take you in! Because you lack proper discipline and fighting skills, you'd have been dead meat without her!"

"...Wh-What on Earth do you know?! You've just proved my point by insulting me based on what you've seen! But do you actually know me? NO!" I caught a few angry tears dripping from Eris' emerald eyes onto the sand. "Wh-Why should I even bother with a mangy mutt like yourself? If you're going to be so judgemental of someone you hardly know, then I train by myself! Good day!"

"Eris, wait! You can't-"

Eris didn't listen to me and instead ran off somewhere into the desert. My eyes filled with sympathy at my upset Purrloin, but quickly furrowed into anger and disappointment when I looked at Percy as I recalled a sand-drenched Leon.

"What?" he demanded to know. "It's not my fault Eris is so sensitive! She needs to learn to toughen up!"

"You still shouldn't have yelled at her like that!" I snapped. "Sure, she may not exactly battle when we really need her to, but she's right! You are too judgemental based on an outside impression! Especially if they're human!"

"I have every reason in the book to! Those who can't defend themselves are as good as dead, and the human race is sickening! If it weren't for them, then I'd still have a family! But no, your stupid species had to go and shoot everyone they didn't take from their homes dead!"

"What? Your family was hunted?"

"Yes! I was only a small Riolu then, but I saw everything! The Lucario line are known for being diligent and dedicated in training, so I merely left my home to do my daily training. Now, I wasn't exactly the 'strongest' of my people, but I wanted to improve on that." Percy let out a growl of frustration as his eyes furrowed deeper. "If only I'd have been as strong then as I am now, then I could have taken those damn poachers down with my bare hands! More of us could have escaped, maybe even my mother and adoptive father…"

I remembered Eunice telling me Percy had trust issues back when I found him at Floccessy Ranch, but I never thought his reason would be this extreme. When she said he wasn't culpable for his issues, I knew that was the understatement of the century. But, that still didn't justify his attitude at all.

"I can't stand those who don't bother to try and get strong when the situation calls for it," Percy added. "That's why Eris gets on my nerves. If only she'd just try, then maybe I wouldn't have to be so harsh."

"But she is trying," I told him. "Compared to when she first joined, Eris has definitely improved in fighting ethic. She may not win all the time, but it still counts for something. I mean, did you see the way she took down that Minccino?!"

"Well, yes, but-"

"Look. I understand you wanna become strong to protect yourself and those you care about, but that's no excuse to put others down when they don't fulfill your expectations. Just let her train at her own pace, and don't be such a hardass on others either, 'k?"

"...Very well," Percy agreed. "Let's go get Eris."

"Assuming we knew where she ran off to."

Percy and I searched all around Route 4 for our missing comrade. When we couldn't find her anywhere in the area, we checked the alternative spot: The Desert Resort. The blistering sandstorm and scorching weather made it nearly impossible to cross the area, but neither I nor Percy would yield. With my hand over my face to keep the sand away, I spotted a purple figure fighting off a Maractus, Darumaka, and Dwebble all by itself. Trudging closer, the figure turned out to be a Liepard. However, the Amulet Coin around its neck made me recognize it in a heartbeat.

"Eris?" I wondered, "Eris, over here!"

Eris couldn't hear me calling her, as she was busy fighting off her three opponents. Although she beat Darumaka with a Pursuit attack, she was suddenly trapped by Maractus' Cotton Spore, which made it more difficult for her to move. Then, she was struck down by Dwebble's Smack Down move, leaving her critically injured.

"Eris!" I gasped, rushing over to her with Percy, only to be knocked away by the Dwebble and Maractus.

I fell to the deep sand pit, billions of sand grains sneaking into my mouth and ponytail. Pushing myself up and spitting out the unwanted minerals, I watched Eris struggle to fight.

"Eris, you gotta stop!" I shouted, holding up an orange medicine spray bottle, "Let me at least give you a Super Potion!"

"No! I'm trying to prove to you guys I'm not some lazy weakling!" Eris coughed, still attempting to hit Maractus.

Just as Dwebble prepared to use another Smack Down move, evident by it summoning a large stone, Percy swiped the Super Potion from me and subdued Dwebble with Rock Smash. He then sprayed Eris' wounds with the medicine, healing them in seconds.

"Get away, mutt!" Eris hissed, "I don't need your help! You're just going to call me weak and lazy after this!"

"Shut up and fight! There's more coming!" Percy snapped, now facing the side opposite to Eris' and charging to combat another Darumaka and Dwebble.

Eris' claws glowed bright white, and she used an Assist attack that turned into Percy's Force Palm. She grabbed Maractus and tossed it far across the desert. As another Maractus came rushing in to fight, Eris defeated it with a Scratch attack followed by Pursuit when it tried escaping in fear. When no more came her way, Eris panted wearily and turned around to Percy, who had just finished a tiring battle with several Dwebble and Darumaka.

"Are you alright?" Percy panted.

"Why should you care?" Eris huffed, laying down onto the sand away from her teammate with her face in her paws. "You probably only came to help so you could rub my cute little nose in it."

"No. If I didn't help, then you'd most likely be dead." I gave Percy a look when I walked over, and he automatically knew what I meant by it when he looked at Eris sincerely. "Eris…"

"What now, Perseus?"

"...I'm sorry," he finally said. "Calling you weak and lazy was wrong. I merely hate seeing Pokémon who don't bother to try and fight when they need to. After all, if you can fight, then you can protect those you love."

"...Perseus, Hynden, allow me to tell you a story," Eris began, gazing at both of us as she got back onto her feet. "Once upon a time, there was a little Purrloin princess. Or rather, she might as well have been since everyone looked up to her family greatly despite having no royal blood. Anyways, this 'princess' lived with her revered father, grandmother, and four siblings."

"And what's bad about that?" I asked. "People looked up to you- I mean, the princess, didn't they?"

"Like I said, yes. But, it was only because the Purrloin and her family were considered aristocrats, so the reason everyone looked up to them was because they were financial elites and nothing more. Now anyways, this Purrloin 'princess' wasn't anything like her family; she loved to fight above all else. Sure, the pampering and compliments were divine, but nothing excited her more than to have a good spar or scuffle every now and again."

"Ah, so this was a fighting princess," Percy remarked. "I've never heard of that before."

"Well, now you have, now stop interrupting!" Eris snapped. "Anyways, the Purrloin loved battling other wild Pokémon more than anything. But, being the eldest of five kittens, her father and grandmother constantly told her she wasn't 'setting a good example' for the little ones. So each time they caught her doing what she loved, they would do nothing but punish, scold, and even berate her for not being a 'proper heiress' or 'role model'." Eris then sighed and hung her head somberly. "Eventually, the Purrloin gave in and had to surrender doing what she loved. She stopped sparring and training, and had no choice but to become the perfect heiress her folks wanted her to be. Just some lazy socialite who can't do anything but look good and behave when she's supposed to. Not only that, but she has to pretend to detest the thing she loves most. The end."

My Liepard turned away from me and Percy, downtrodden and frustrated with everything she explained in her past story. We could both hear her sniffling and forcing back sobs, tears leaking from her eyes and spilling onto the sand. But, then Percy walked over to Eris and made her look at him.

"Surely, this story has a better ending," was what he said to her.

"Oh please. That's the end of it, and nothing more," Eris sniffled, wiping her eyes with the non-sandy part of her paw.

"No it isn't. Then, the little Purrloin heiress was found by a trustworthy human, and joined her band of Pokémon who encouraged battling no matter what. Under the human's guise, the Purrloin became stronger and happier… even if she had to deal with a self-centered Lucario and a pigheaded Growlithe. Regardless, the Lucario chose to change his tune and help the evolved Liepard heiress do what she truly wants to, since he now knows who she really is."

"Now now, Leon is a nice fellow!" Eris retorted before processing what Percy just told her. "...He would really do that? Even after all the Liepard and the Lucario have been through?"

"Yes he would. To compensate for everything and call a truce. But, he'll only do that if the Liepard wishes to."

Percy stuck a paw out to Eris. As a response, she placed her own in it and shook once before letting go. I gave my Pokémon rubs on their heads proudly, walking them both out of the Desert Resort until we were back on Route 4.

"So, everything's alright now?" I asked Percy and Eris.

"Yes," they both responded.

"Good. Let's find some other Trainers to battle, and then we can start heading back to the city."

We all decided to head back to the healing house first so Percy and Eris could rest up. After that was done, we traversed the Route until we saw groups of battle-thirsty challengers. I looked at my Pokémon, knowing they were ready to fight. With that, we all marched towards the Trainers with confidence and the will to train.

* * *

**Pokémon obtained:** None.

**Badges earned:** 3/8

**Boxed/Unboxed:** None.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I'm taking German, so the Subway Masters' lines were a little easy for me to type (except for some of the special characters). I'm gonna do a little translation for each of the words and phrases:

"Wie heißt du" = "How are you called" (what's your name)

"Mein fehler" = "My mistake"

"Mein lieber" = "My dear"

"Bruder" = "Brother"

"Bengel" = "Brat"

"SBWM" = "So bald wie möglich" (ASAP)

So with that, I'll see you next time in Chapter 15! For any questions or comments, leave a review and I'll check it out! Stay tuned for the Gym battle!


	15. A Dazzling Runway Battle! (VS Elesa)

**Author's Note:** What's up? This chapter took a long time to finish, but it's finally up and about! Elesa was a pain to fight, but I managed to beat her last week. I don't really know what else to say other than "enjoy the chapter", so enjoy! Go ahead and leave reviews if you want!

* * *

"Leon, use Fire Fang!" I commanded.

My Growlithe took a huge fiery bite out of my opponent's Herdier, causing it to faint almost instantly from Leon's power. Rich Kid Keenan looked at his fainted Pokémon and recalled it, huffily paying me my winning reward of 3520 PokéDollars.

"Thanks," I said, walking off with Leon happily. "Just imagine if you were holding Eris' Amulet Coin!" I beamed, thinking of the payment I received.

"What can I say? The rich get richer, but the poor take their riches!" Leon misquoted.

"I don't think that's the saying, Leon."

Leon and I made our way out of Route 4 and back into Nimbasa City, where we dropped by the Pokémon Center. I healed him and everyone else on my team in their Poké Balls at the front desk where the Nurse Joy was. The health scan was quick and easy, so I was able to retrieve my friends and head over to the PokéMart desk.

"We're having a sale on Revives today," the clerk said. "Fifty percent off for only 750 PokéDollars, would you like some?"

"Yes, I would," I agreed. "I didn't know Revives were so cheap."

"Usually, they're not. But after the huge shipment accident two years back, none of the cities could get their hands on any. These actually came in just this morning, so we're throwing our customers some bones by having a celebratory sale!"

"That's convenient. I'll take about 15."

Due to the several Trainer battles I just got through earlier, I had quite a bit of cash to burn. The fact that Pokémon Breeder Irene's atrocious short-term memory prompted her to challenge me every time I walked by was one of the bigger reasons, combined with Eris' precious Amulet Coin. I paid for the three packs of Revives and left, immediately walking into Nimbasa Park.

_"I think I'm gonna drop by here later,"_ I noted mentally. _"The last time I went on any rides, I had to fight Team Plasma…"_

I continued walking through the park until I heard a slight _CRUNCH_ from beneath my foot. I looked down and saw a lime green Xtransceiver, its screen somewhat cracked due to the contact with my foot.

"How do you lose a Xtransceiver just like that?" I wondered, examining it.

I nearly dropped the misplaced Xtransceiver the second it started ringing. I answered the call, but the person on the other line's face was obscured due to the cracked screen. From what I could see, it was a boy with light blonde hair and olive green clothes.

"Is anyone there?" he asked from the glitching screen.

"Yeah, I am," I said. "I'm Hynden, so who are you?"

"I'm Curt- I mean, they call me Christoph!" Christoph introduced.

"Is that short for 'Christopher', by any chance?"

"No, just 'Christoph'. Look, I'd love to pick up my Xtransceiver ASAP, but I'm at work right now. Would it be alright if you held onto it for me?"

"I don't mind. Just come try and find it as soon as you can, okay?"

"Yes. See you in the future, Hynden!"

Christoph hung up his borrowed Xtransceiver, and I stashed his real one away in my bag for safe-keeping. Past the giant Pikachu inflatable, I saw the entrance to the Nimbasa City Gym I remembered and went inside. As it had two years ago, everything was a giant indoor roller coaster. Gulping, I climbed inside of the blue pod until it sealed up and started moving.

"Here we go again…" I groaned, awaiting the obnoxious speed.

The roller coaster zipped at an intense speed, provoking screams of adrenaline and terror to fly from my throat. It felt like the ride was going on for an eternity, but much to my relief, it finally stopped at the main battle-floor.

"I hate roller coasters-" I began to say until I saw the platform. "Hey, you're not Elesa!"

"Well, you're not the first person today who's been met with that disappointment," the Nimbasa Beauty said. "Instead, you get her head stylist, Antoinette. However, it's a good thing you came here. There's something Miss Elesa would like for her challengers to do before I tell them where the new Gym is."

"What does she need?"

"Just follow me."

Antoinette herded me to a giant elevator-like lift, and down we went to the bottom of the Gym where everything was safe from the roller coasters. Behind a door was a familiar dressing room that once belonged to Elesa, where Antoinette used a reel of measuring tape to measure my rather busty front. Then, she showed me a rack full of extraordinary gowns and dresses all fit to a certain size.

"Pick your favorite, and let me see when you have it on," she instructed. "I'll be in charge of your hair after."

"Wait, I'm getting a makeover?" I wondered. "Can't I just go to the Gym and fight in the clothes I'm wearing now?"

"Miss Elesa's new Gym is one where you _don't_ just wanna walk down in plain old street clothes. Trust me on this."

Rolling my eyes, I shifted through the plethora of dresses and found one that suited my interest. The dress had rhinestone-pleated short sleeves that acted as straps, its shining silver fabric flowed around my ankles, and the waist was adorned with beautiful dark blue beads. I slipped into the dressing room and removed my outfit and hat in favor of the gown, and I came out to see Antoinette's judging look.

"Hmm… very nice!" she said. "The color really brings out your eyes! Now, I'm going to get you a pair of matching shoes, and I can get started on your hair, dearie!" Antoinette pulled out a matching choker for the dress, but I refused it by shaking my head no.

"I'm fine with my locket," I insisted. "For personal reasons, I'm not comfortable with taking it off."

"Oh, but you'll look so much better with this!"

"I said no. The locket stays."

"Are you sure? Because I think-"

"No! I don't want your tacky choker!"

"O-Okay… the locket stays I guess. Just put these on and follow me."

When I slipped and fastened the white gladiator ankle-heels onto my feet, Antoinette seated me into the spinning chair in front of the mirror. She removed the hair tie and my long chestnut-colored locks flowed down all the way to the bottom of the cushion. Antoinette carefully moved the hairbrush through each group of hair strands all over my head until my hair was straightened out and free of potential knots. Once that was over, Antoinette plugged in a curling iron and waited for it to heat up.

"Hold still," Antoinette instructed me, spraying my hair with a protective liquid. She grabbed the heated iron and took my peek-a-bangs in front of my right eye. "Try not to fidget while I'm doing this. You've got a LOT of long hair, so one wrong move could burn you. When I'm done, you'll look _amazing_!"

The torrid curling iron started its journey the moment it made contact with my peek-a-bangs. It turned outwards and released when my hair curled up and into itself, concealing the vertical eyelid scar once more. Soon, the curling iron faced the rest of my hair, twisting and turning each strand so it bounced with its new curls. Antoinette flipped my hair a little so most of my hair was out of my face.

"And now, it's time for the final touches!" Antoinette chirped, pulling out a drawer full of makeup supplies.

Makeup didn't bother me too much, so I didn't mind what she was doing. However, I told Antoinette not to go overboard with it since i wanted to be able to see when I battled Elesa. She made my eyelashes look fancier with an eyelash curler before applying mascara, eyeshadow consisting of shades of indigo and violet, and nude makeup went onto my face to bring out my slight olive skin tone. Finally, a coating of magenta lipstick was spread over my lips after a light layer of saccharine lip balm.

"Voila!" Antoinette declared, moving so I could see my new appearance. "Now you are ready to battle!"

"Wow, I look… different," I remarked, surprised by how the makeup made my face appear.

"Not just different, you look fabulous, my dear! Go on! Go face Miss Elesa, and come back here to pick up your clothes! The new Nimbasa Gym is the black building with the yellow flashing lights further down in the park. You can't miss it! Also, you have to wear this cloak until you get inside."

Nodding, I took the black cloak and put it around my body until the dress and my face were concealed. I went out the other exit in the dressing room, and I found myself back outside. Walking carefully in the heels, I went all the way down into the park until I discovered the building Antoinette described and entered.

To my half-surprise, I learned I was standing on a runway in the dimmed room full of loud people. As I progressed through the path, the floor seemed to light up with each step and made a somewhat clearer trail.

"So far, so good- AH!" I yelped when I felt my foot go through a large fissure in the runway.

I was ankle-deep into the floor, but I wriggled my limb carefully and freed it from the hardened prison. Stepping over the fissure, I took just as careful steps across the runway until I walked up the steps, past the two Nimbasa Beauties, and onto the battling platform, where Elesa was waiting for me. This time, though, her hair was black and longer in the front; she wore a blue and yellow outfit resembling that of an Egyptian queen's, dandelion-colored cloud coat, red and blue flats, and red visor shades.

"Elesa, long time no see!" I greeted, removing the hood from my face.

"Welcome, challenger," Elesa responded, turning around until she made eye contact with me. "Oh! Now there's a pretty face I haven't seen in a while. How has your soul-searching gone, Hynden?"

"Pretty good. By the way, I think your stage might be a little… broken," I said, pointing to the fissure with my thumb.

"Ah, you're the fourth one today. I could have sworn I had it fixed… Oh well! I guess we all 'go through a stage' at one point in our lives!"

While Elesa chuckled at her joke, I didn't really understand it that much. I thought about it a little more until I let out a few chuckles when I got the joke in Elesa's words. Soon, the two of us ceased our laughter.

"Nonetheless, I'll have to get that fixed up," Elesa decided, placing a hand on her somewhat flat sacrum. "I wouldn't want my future mini-me getting hurt before it comes."

"Future mini-me? What do you-" The realization hit me like a pile of bricks as my face lit up with excited surprise. "Elesa, are you having a baby?"

"Yep! In about 37 weeks, I'll be a mom! That's why I had to take a break from the hair dye and go back to my real hair color."

"Wait, Burgh told me you were gonna be 'out-of-sorts'. You seem fine to me."

"He's probably talking about my nausea and fatigue. But hey, I'm still holding up. My soon-to-be wife's got it worse than I do right now. I really wish she'd just swallow her pride and take more breaks."

"You're getting married too? Congratulations! Who's the lucky lady, hmm?"

"That's a secret. But I can guarantee you'll have met her by the time you get your last badge. Are you ready for your fourth Gym battle, Hynden?"

"You know it! Let's go!"

When she disposed of her puffy cloud coat, Elesa's first Pokémon of choice was her Emolga. I was aware of the possibility of it using a Flying-type move, so to fight it, I chose to use Eris first. When she came out of her Poké Ball, her emerald green cat eyes lit up with wonder at the very sight of Elesa.

"It's her!" she beamed, face breaking into a huge grin. "It's the one and only, Miss Elesa-"

Eris was interrupted when Emolga used a powerful Volt Switch on her. She was trembling from the electric current surging through her very being, each step attempted resulting in aches. Before I could spray her with a Super Potion, Eris attacked Emolga with Pursuit at the very moment it was still out.

"Can you keep up?" Elesa asked as Emolga retreated to its Poké Ball, "I may be pregnant, but that doesn't mean I can't fight. Let's see if you'll be the first to conquer my team's Volt Switches. Flaaffy, let's go!"

I treated Eris' wounds using a Super Potion and told her to use her newly-learned Hone Claws attack. She unsheathed her retractable claws and began scratching at Elesa's discarded yellow coat to sharpen them.

"Ah, so soothing!" she purred when she ripped away from the coat one last time. "Alright! Now it's time to fight! Bring it on, sheep!"

"Oh, boo," Elesa groused. "That was my favorite coat…"

"Sorry about that, Elesa," I apologized, scratching the back of my hat. "Eris just needed to sharpen her claws. I could get you a new one if-"

"No, don't apologize. It's alright, Hynden. Let's focus on the battle at hand, shall we? Flaaffy, use Volt Switch!"

"Eris, Pursuit!" I shouted.

In unison with Flaaffy striking Eris with its electrified body, Eris riskily pounced onto her battling adversary and forced herself through the field of sparks and electric bolts. She stood when Flaaffy took damage and switched out for Zebstrika, but my Liepard became wobbly and fell unconscious from the amount of damage she had taken.

"Return, Eris," I said, recalling my fainted Liepard and sending out my Growlithe. "Leon! Use Flame Wheel!"

"Zebstrika, Flame Charge," Elesa instructed.

As the Electric-type stomped its hooves furiously, Leon spun himself in a circle until his body caught fire. Zebstrika and Leon charged at each other at the same exact moment and collided. They fought and pushed through to gain dominance, which was ultimately won by Leon when he bulldozed Zebstrika.

"Zebstrika, Volt Switch!" Elesa shouted.

Zebstrika's body illuminated with sparks and charged right at Leon the moment he started to use another Flame Wheel. Both Pokémon made harsh contact that resulted in mutual critical hits, but the victor of the round was Zebstrika when Leon fainted at the same time it switched out for Flaaffy.

I recalled my fainted Fire-type and from my bag I took out one Revive. Crushing the sensitive diamond into dust, I sprinkled its remains over the center of Eris' Poké Ball, which went from gray and dim to a brimming crimson and white color. I tossed her Ball high and out she came, concluding a peaceful snooze as her eyes snapped open.

"Flaaffy, Volt Switch!" Elesa commanded.

"Eris, dodge and use Pursuit!" I exclaimed.

Flaaffy electrified its body and charged at Eris. But, she was able to move out of the way in time and strike Flaaffy before it could get away. The Pursuit attack was critical and resulted in the Wool Pokémon's defeat. Elesa sent out her Zebstrika again, so I recalled Eris for Percy.

"Percy, use Force Palm!" I told him.

Percy grabbed Zebstrika by the muzzle and forcefully tossed it aside. Zebstrika shakily got back onto its hooves and attempted a Flame Charge attack, but Percy put an end to its terror by finishing it off with Rock Smash.

"You're still the shining star I faced two years ago," Elesa commented, recalling Zebstrika. "Or rather, you shine even brighter than your past self! But, who will win this glamourous battle? Your Lucario, or my Emolga?"

Elesa called out her remaining Electric-type. I told Percy to use Quick Attack, so he was able to inflict damage first. Elesa healed her Emolga using a Hyper Potion, leaving a dejected Percy to start over.

"Perce, use Force Palm!" I commanded.

"Emolga, Volt Switch," Elesa said.

Emolga illuminated itself in a force field of electricity and soared towards Percy. Percy grabbed a hold of Emolga despite taking damage from the hot crackling sparks of its body. He endured it long enough to toss Emolga downwards, inflicting damage onto its body.

"Alright, Percy!" I cheered, "Use Quick Attack!"

Percy summoned as much strength as possible and lunged out at the weakened Emolga. With one mighty punch, Elesa's Emolga fell unconscious. When she recalled it, Percy fell to his knees, only to buttress himself using his fist to prevent slipping into unconsciousness.

"Great job, Percy," I told him, calling my Lucario back to his Ball. "Take a long rest, and I'll go to the Pokémon Center ASAP."

"Bravo, Hynden," Elesa commented. "You've once again defeated me and proved how much of a shining superstar you still are! As a reward, I humbly give you the Bolt Badge!"

Elesa handed me the small lightning bolt-shaped badge, which I proudly placed into my Badge Case as a symbol of my fourth victory. I was about to make my leave when Elesa stopped me from doing so.

"Wait," she said. "There's something the winner has to do now once I've been defeated."

"Yeah?" I wondered.

"Well, this _is_ a runway, so show the world what you've got!"

I nodded once and removed the baggy cloak from my body, revealing the silver dress and my overall makeover. The spotlights shone on me and Elesa, causing the crowd to erupt into wild applause and cheers at the sight of us. I was instructed to try out my best poses as Elesa and I started strutting down the runway. Several camera flashes and shutters went off as I kept making poses to the adoring crowd.

"Hynden! Hynden! Hynden!" the crowd cheered as my image and name appeared on the screen behind us.

I made it to the end of the runway and stopped posing for the crowd. The spotlight was still shining brightly on me and Elesa, so I joined Elesa in waving to everyone around me.

"It's such a shame Antoinette put so much makeup on you," Elesa sighed. "No one got to see your true beauty! No matter, I'll have to find a way you can _makeup_ for it!" she chuckled at her joke.

"Haha, good one!" I laughed genuinely. "I never took you for the comedic type, Elesa! Thanks for the battle!"

"Anytime, my girl. Good luck with your other ones!"

Elesa turned her back on the exit and resume walking across the runway, stepping over the fissure before making her way back to the main platform. I exited the Gym and headed back to the old Gym's dressing room to reclaim my clothes, eager to keep my word on visiting the Battle Subway before leaving Nimbasa City.

* * *

**Pokémon obtained: **None.

**Badges earned: **4/8

**Boxed/Unboxed: **None.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I realized halfway through writing that Elesa probably dyed her hair black. But, I changed it so her real hair color is black. Besides, I read you're not supposed to dye your hair while pregnant, so that's another reason. Stay tuned for the next part of Hynden's time in Nimbasa City; I do plan on tweaking a few things. See you then!


	16. All Aboard The Multi-Train!

**Author's Note:** This chapter might seem a little "filler-ish", but it's nothing too droll. After all, each chapter is important in its own way, so it can't be too trivial, right? Basically, it's the Battle Subway challenges, but it leads up to the next part of the story. It's not like this in the games, but I obviously tweaked it so it'll fit in. You'll see what I mean come the next chapter. So for now, enjoy this one!

* * *

One trip to the old Nimbasa Gym's dressing room later, I left the building with my usual clothes on and my fashionable face makeup off. I made my way out of the park and into the Pokémon Center, where I gave the Nurse Joy the Poké Balls containing Leon, Eris, and Percy. After a brief health scan, my Pokémon were all returned to me in one piece. I released them from the Balls, and everyone appeared to be in full health.

"The three of you did a great job out there!" I said, giving them congratulatory rubs on their furry scalps. "All that hard work really paid off!"

"Well, of course _I_ pulled it off!" Leon gloated, placing a proud paw on his chest and smirking.

"Pulled what off? Fainting because of a stupid striped horse?" Percy scoffed.

"Hey! FYI, that Zebstrika was actually a match for my strength! Tch, I'd bet you hardly did shit…"

"On the contrary, Leon," Eris said. "Percy here took home our victory by defeating Miss Elesa's Emolga! Though, it's such a shame I didn't get to meet her for too long…" she pouted in a disappointed tone.

"Don't worry, Eris," Percy responded comfortingly, placing a gentle paw on Eris' back. "Perhaps you'll get to see her again next time?"

"Here's to hoping…"

"Erm, if it makes it any better, you were wonderful when you took out that Flaaffy…"

"I was, wasn't I? You weren't half bad yourself, dear Perseus! Why, if it wasn't for you, we surely would have suffered a terrible loss!"

"Thank you…" Percy's face had a noticeable pink flush to them as he scratched his head sheepishly.

"H-Hey! What about me, Lady Eris? Did I do good out there too?" Leon wanted to know.

"Certainly! You were fantastic against that Zebstrika! Even if you didn't win, you still gave it your all!" Eris answered.

"Aww, shucks! Thanks! I'm sure you did great too, Lady Eris!" Leon chuckled, his face also turning pink as his snout stretched into a huge grin. "What about you, Hynden? Did I do good? Am I still a good boy?"

"Yes, you are! You're a good boy, Leon!" I crooned, positioning my hand under Leon and scratching lightly, causing the Growlithe to roll onto his back excitedly. "Who's a good boy? You're a good boy!"

"Ah-hahaha! I'm the good boy! I'm such a good boy!" Leon cackled, panting at my tummy rubs until I stopped. "Ah, those never get old…"

I recalled all three of them to their Poké Balls and exited the Pokémon Center. One look at the Battle Subway reminded me of my promise to Nate. Following the directions on my Town Map, I made my way out of the city and onto Route 16. I searched around the area for my new friend, but I couldn't find him anywhere.

"Nate? Naaate!" I called, placing open hands near my mouth to amp my voice. "Nate, c'mon! We're supposed to challenge Ingo and Emmet again!"

I continued to search for Nate in all of the potential training spots. I even asked some of the nearby Trainers on where he was, only for none of them to have seen him. I scurried into the taller grass. and coming from the entrance to a place called "Lostlorn Forest" was Haley, who was covered in dirt and had something akin to maroon-colored mud on his face while shoving a weird pole back in his bag.

"Haley!" I cried, running up to him. "Hold on, why are you all dirty?"

"What's up, Hynden?" he asked, brushing the dirt off of himself. "Oh, don't worry about this. I had to take care of something important is all!"

"Okay… have you seen my friend Nate? He's about yay high, wears a blue jacket, white shorts, a red visor…"

"That kid? Yeah, I think I did." Haley closed his dimming eyes and showed me a perky smile as he cocked his head to the side. "I heard him say he knows you, but he also said some… other things."

"What else did he say? Was he still gonna challenge the Multi-Train with me?"

"Hmm, let's see. Oh yeah! Now if I remember, that jackass changed his mind about it. Said a 'weak loser' like you wasn't worth his time and walked off. Pathetic, really. I can't believe he'd outright ditch you like that!"

A hurt gasp escaped my throat at Haley's news. I didn't get why Nate would outright ditch me like that and act like a total scumbag after he seemed so nice, but I was fervidly disgusted at what he did. With a huff, I folded my arms and kicked up the dirt in frustration. Haley's comforting touch on my arm didn't make me feel any better for once.

"That figures…" I growled, still huffy.

"Hey, you know what? Fuck him," Haley said to me, still smiling for some reason. "I've got an idea! Since Nate clearly wanted nothing to do with you, why don't I act as your replacement partner? We could ride this Multi-Train thing together! Just you and me, Hynden!"

"Deal! You're gonna be my new Battle Subway partner, Haley. Loyalty's never been an issue when it comes to you."

"Great! Then what are we waiting for? Lead the way, Hynnie!"

Making sure Haley was following behind, I led him out of the Lostlorn Forest. As we traversed the route, I came across a blue Xtransceiver. Looking closer, I saw the letters "NA" etched into it, but I couldn't see the rest due to Haley stepping on and breaking it before kicking it far away.

"It's just garbage," he insisted with obvious venom in his tone. "People really oughta keep better track of their electronics."

I kept leading Haley all the way back to Nimbasa City, and we kept walking until we found the Battle Subway and entered the towering building. Down the stairs, our new surroundings were nothing but eight trains with individually colored stripes, Trainers, and strange people in green uniforms and hats.

"This is a lot of trains," Haley commented, walking up to one of the people in green uniforms. "Excuse me, which way's the Multi-Train?"

"Are you referring to the regular one, or the Super Multi-Train, young man?" they asked.

"Uhh, regular, I guess."

"It's the orange line. You can't miss it!"

"Thanks!" Haley and I said to them, walking towards the train with the orange line on it.

A man wearing the same green uniform was in front of the large speed train handed Haley and I two electronic cards that read "Battle Points" with the words "0 BP" below it. I tapped the screen a few times to see if it would change or do something else, but it didn't. I wasn't quite sure on what to do with the card, so I just put it in my pocket for safekeeping.

"Every time you win seven consecutive battles," the man began, "you earn three Battle Points as reward. Also, you're only allowed two Pokémon each per round. Choose carefully because you won't be able to change your decision until seven battles have been won."

Haley took out all three of his Poké Balls and put one of them back when he chose. I searched my belt of six, and after thinking it through a little, I decided to go with Leon and Percy, despite how the two felt about each other.

"If you've made your decision, hand me the Pokémon you don't intend to use," the man said before we did as such. "These will be kept safe and you'll get them back after the first round."

The man placed our Poké Balls inside of a transportation tube, typed in a few random keys, and off the orbs went to another place. Once again, the man assured us both that our Pokémon were safe due to high security and ushered us onto the train.

"All aboard!" he shouted in unison with the train door shutting and the locomotive moving forward.

Haley and I walked further into the first train car, where two Trainers were awaiting us. One was a Rich Boy, and the other was an energetic Preschooler boy holding his hand.

"Are you our challenger?" the Rich Boy asked. "Hmph, petty peasants like you don't seem worth my time or my baby brother's, but I don't have a choice. Ready, Rupee?"

"Yeah, Dollar! Let's go!" Rupee cheered.

"Rupee and Dollar?" I wondered when I heard the odd names.

"I don't know what else I'd expect from rich people," Haley scoffed, rolling his red eyes. "Naya, you're up first!"

"Naya" turned out to be Haley's new Simipour. I sent out Leon afterwards, and he immediately smoothed back his mane with a wet paw and gave Naya a suggestive eyebrow wiggle.

"Hey there, cutie," Leon purred. "People call me Leon, but _you_ can call me anytime. Sound good?"

"Umm, excuse me," Naya scoffed in a rather masculine voice. "I'm a guy!"

"Oh! ...And?"

"Ugh, I have no interest in pigs like you. Let's just get these miserable train rides over with!"

The rich brothers' Pokémon were a Snivy and a Blitzle from Rupee and Dollar respectively. As the Multi-Train car kept moving forward, Leon attacked and defeated Snivy with his new Flame Burst attack. While Blitzle struck Naya down with a critical Shock Wave, Rupee's second Pokémon was revealed to be a Lillipup.

"Leon, use Reversal!" I commanded.

"Naya, use Lick!" Haley told his Simipour. "Then use Fury Swipes!"

While Leon easily KO-ed the feeble Lillipup with his Reversal attack, Naya's sticky tongue ran up Bliztle's face and left it unable to move as quickly. No matter how hard it trudged towards Naya in an attempt to strike him, Blitzle was rendered unconscious by Naya's multiple Fury Swipes attacks.

"Come on, big brother!" Rupee cheered from the seat, "Take the poor people down!"

"We're not poor, you brat!" I snapped.

"Herdier, come out!" Dollar shouted, summoning the evolved form of his brother's Pokémon.

"Leon, use Rock Smash," I said.

Leon leaped into the air and crashed down onto Herdier's body, defeating it with hardly any effort needed. A dejected Dollar conceded defeat and took a seat beside his brother. I high-fived Haley and performed our personal handshake with him before we recalled Leon and Naya and moved onto the next car.

* * *

The next five battles that ensued were rather difficult. But in the end, Haley and I managed to pull through with Leon, Percy, Naya, and Kuina (who recently evolved into a Tranquill) by our side. Currently, we were facing off in the seventh car against a Backpacker and a Biker, who were down to their last Pokémon like us.

"Percy, use Force Palm!" I shouted.

"Kuina, Air Cutter!" Haley ordered.

Percy grabbed ahold of the Biker's Lillipup and flung it across the train car. Lillipup was still breathing, but it couldn't get up to fight, so the Biker recalled his poor little partner and sat down.

"Ya did good, little buddy," he sniffled.

Just as Kuina left critical damage on her Pansear opponent, Pansear retaliated with Incinerate. The scorching flames that left its mouth wrapped all over Kuina and sent her to the ground with a burn.

"Come on, Kuina!" Haley cheered. "You can pull through this! Use Air Cutter again!"

Kuina bore through the pain by lifting her burnt feather-covered body up and flapping her wings. From the turbulence came razor sharp blades that cut right through Pansear and knocked it out. When the Backpacker returned Pansear to its Poké Ball, he took his seat as the train came to a stop. Haley and I healed our Pokémon using the miniature healer in the corner and got off the train. At the stop, we were both greeted by another person in green.

"Congratulations!" they cheered, shaking my hand with Haley's. "You two have just overcome the first trial! Two more rounds, and you'll be facing my bosses!"

"That shouldn't be too hard," I said.

"Ah, but don't get overly confident. The closer you get to the twins, the harder your opponents become. Make any adjustments needed over at the Poké Exchange Computer over there, and come see me or another Depot Agent when you're ready to board again."

The Depot Agent used some sort of scanner handle to award Haley and I our deserved 3 Battle Points. After, we went over to the Poké Exchange Computer, scanned our Trainer Cards on it, and I tacked away at the Party Adjustment screen.

"Okay, who do you want for the next round?" I asked. "I'm going with Rubella and Percy."

"I want… Ace and Naya," Haley decided. "Kuina's earned a good break, and Ace seems to wanna get to know Naya a little more."

I tacked more at the keyboard and made the final adjustments. Kuina and Leon were exchanged for Ace and Rubella respectively. We went over to the Depot Agent and confirmed we were ready to board for Round 2. The Multi-Train rolled up and stopped on the tracks, allowing Haley and I to get onboard safely before it took off again. Our first set of opponents for the second round were a Lady and a female Veteran.

"Greetings," the Veteran said. "My name is Gwendolyn, and this is my daughter, Amy. I assume you're our opponents?"

"Yes we are, ma'am!" Haley confirmed, sending out Ace to fight.

"Awesome! Mom and I'll totally beat you heading for the hills!" Amy gloated, sending out her Emolga.

"Amelia Lou Barton, manners!" Gwendolyn scolded as she called her Elgyem out. "Sorry, let's begin the battle."

"Rubella, let's go!" I shouted, summoning my Zubat from her Poké Ball. "Use Bite on Elgyem!"

Rubella's fangs produced a scary dark aura and she sunk them into Elgyem's small body. The damage was critical and super effective, but the little Psychic-type was hanging by a thread to stay conscious. Meanwhile, Emolga attacked Ace using an Acrobatics attack, which left him severely weakened.

"Ace, take five!" Haley told his Pignite as he recalled it. "Hynden, let's switch for now!"

"Fine!" I agreed as Elgyem fell unconscious before my weakened Zubat. "Rubella, use Confuse Ray on Emolga!"

"Naya, come out and use Scald on Solosis!" Haley commanded, "Then attack with Lick!"

First, Naya released a gush of burning hot water from his mouth and onto Gwendolyn's Solosis. The attack was performed at the same time Rubella spat out a bright orb that spun around Emolga several times until it was rendered utterly dizzy.

"Emolga, use Acrobatics!" Amy commanded.

The attempted move failed greatly. Emolga thoughtlessly flew around the train car until it rammed its entire body into a wall and fell. Because the impact of the collision was so great, Emolga managed to clumsily knock itself out.

"Aww, Emolga!" Amy groused, returning her confused Pokémon to its Ball. "Minccino, go!"

"Take a break, Rubella," I said to my Zubat as I sent her back to her Poké Ball. "How are we doing over there, Haley?"

"Pretty solid!" Haley answered as Solosis fell from Naya's Lick attack. "Just beat that Minccino, and we'll be on our way to the next train car!"

"Great! I'll wrap things up in a jiff! Percy, come out and use Rock Smash!"

As soon as Percy took the stage, he raised both fists up above the petrified Minccino. The Normal-type frantically darted its head from side to side, and by the time it calmed, Percy easily subdued it with his move. Minccino was unable to battle any further, signifying a brutal defeat for Veteran Gwendolyn and Lady Amy.

"You win," Gwendolyn sighed, sitting down with her daughter after recalling her Pokémon.

"Boo! I should have won!" Amy whined, "My Pokémon are _way_ better than yours!"

Ignoring Amy's whines and Gwendolyn's scolding tone that followed, Haley and I recalled our own Pokémon and went over to the healing machine in the corner of the train car. When our teammates' energy returned to them, we proceeded into the next car for our intense ninth battle on the speeding Multi-Train.

* * *

**Pokémon obtained: **None.

**Badges earned: **4/8

**Boxed/Unboxed: **None.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I don't exactly remember the specific Trainers I faced on the Battle Subway, so I'm just kinda BS-ing it a little. I have a vague memory, but it's not an exact one to recall each type and name I battled. But man, they were tough! Stay tuned for Chapter 17! Review and comment if you'd like!


	17. Battle On The Subway! (Part 1)

**Author's Note:** What's up, guys? Before I finished this chapter, I noticed this story got another favorite, so kudos to that person who recently did that (you know who you are, darling). Like I said previously, I did my own take on the Plasma encounter in Nimbasa for the second game, and expanded it a little more to make it interesting. Plus, since people apparently still dig Ingo and Emmet, you guys might like this chapter if you do (the other chapter with them has the second-most views, good God...)! Enjoy!

* * *

Sometime later, Haley and I were on the third round of the Multi-Train challenge. Despite brutal battles and near-losses that occurred beforehand, we both made it to our 20th consecutive fight. At the moment, we were face-to-face with Artist Pablo and Baker Vanilla, along with their respective Sigilyph and male Frillish respectively. Not only that, but the four of us were down to our last Pokémon.

"Tidus, go!" I shouted, tossing my Servine's Poké Ball.

"Kuina, come out!" Haley exclaimed, summoning his Tranquil.

While Haley dealt with the pesky Sigilyph, I told Tidus to go after Frillish. Frillish attacked first with Night Shade, which made his eyes glow an eerie maroon color as mysterious white waves pierced through Tidus' body. Tidus sustained quite a bit of damage from the move's power, but he still stood bravely.

"Tidus, Leaf Tornado!" I commanded.

Tidus summoned a bounty of leaves and cast them around the blue Frillish in a sudden swirl. The small tornado got faster and faster at Tidus' command until each leaf severed Frillish's body and left it critically wounded. When it could fight no longer, Vanilla recalled her fainted friend and sat down.

"Kuina, Air Cutter!" Haley proclaimed.

"Sigilyph, counter with Psybeam!" Pablo commanded.

Kuina's move never stood a chance against the Psychic-type move. The multi-colored beam shot right through the sharp wind gusts and struck Kuina down. She hadn't fainted, but she still struggled to get up.

"C'mon, girl! You can pull through this! Don't let this weird… floating totem pole thing bring you down! Use Roost to heal that wound right up!"

Taking a deep breath, Kuina flapped her wings gently before stretching them out. Then, she took the time to preen for a little while until her Roost was complete and her injuries were almost non-existent. When she stood up straight again, she attacked with another Air Cutter attack, this one succeeding in hitting Sigilyph.

"Haley, I've got an idea," I whispered to him. "When I tell Tidus to attack, you tell Kuina to use Air Cutter again."

"Uhh, alright! I trust ya no matter what!" Haley agreed.

"Tidus, Leaf Tornado!"

"Kuina, give it one more Air Cutter!"

The combined turbulence of Kuina's move and Tidus' made for a deadly attack. Not only did Sigilyph get slashed by the sharp leaves, but the aid of the sharper air blades also took it down. Pablo recalled his fainted Pokémon, shook both mine and Haley's hands while thanking us for a great battle, and sat down next to his wife.

"Better luck next time, Pabbie," Vanilla told her husband.

"Oh, it's okay, honey-buns!" Pablo insisted, "At least we got to battle together!"

As Haley and I finished healing our Pokémon teams, Pablo and Vanilla were snuggled up together and kissing on the train bench. The scene was a rather cute one, but when I looked at Haley, he stared at my lips for a few seconds before jerking his head away with florid cheeks.

"Haley," I said, raising my eyebrows while smiling coyly.

"Wh-What?" he chuckled, twiddling with his fingers as the blush failed to leave his face. "C'mon, let's move onto our next battle."

Just as we'd been told previously, waiting in the following train car were the opponents expected at the 21st consecutive battle. Standing firmly side-by-side were none other than the Subway Bosses, Ingo and Emmet. And just as expected, Emmet looked at me with a warm gaze, florid yet somewhat nervous face, and a wave, while Ingo shot me another flinty, yet civil glare.

"Hallo, Hynden!" Emmet chirped, "Bruder and I have been waiting for you!"

"Well, _Emmet_ has," Ingo corrected, rolling his pale gray eyes. Then, he looked at Haley with surprise and confusion. "Wait. Young man, it is very nice to meet you, but where did you come from? Where's Nate?"

"Let's just say 'Nate the not-so Great' decided to bail on me," I answered in Haley's stead. "I apparently wasn't worth his time…"

"What? That doesn't sound like Nate at all!" Emmet insisted.

"Exactly. How do we know you're not making things up, bengel?" Ingo demanded to know from me, ganging up in my face again.

"Hey, don't shoot the messenger Pidove," I spat back, returning the glare I was receiving. "My friend Haley here just told me what happened. Now, are we gonna battle or not?"

"Gladly. We'll see who the better team is in this round. Emmet, are you ready?"

"Yep! Regardless of the outcome, I have a special proposal for Miss Hynden," Emmet said.

"A proposal?" I wondered with a smile, "What kinda proposal? Is it a special battle?"

"Yeah, what is the proposal?" Haley asked with noticeable venom in his voice at Emmet's enthusiasm. "What do you have to ask Hynden, Mr. Ingo?"

"Nein nein! I am Emmet!" the white-clad Subway Boss insisted with a pout, "My wonderful big brother here is Ingo, but I am Emmet! Anyways, I can't say it right now. It's not a good time…" he added, fiddling with his index fingers as his cheeks turned an unsure shade of rosy alongside his perpetual smile again. "But I will tell you, it's a verrrrry important question!"

"We'll see if that question ever gets across," Haley hissed, positioning himself beside me at the side of the train opposite from the twins.

"Are both teams ready?" I asked.

"That we are," Ingo answered, his hazy-eyed frown not leaving his face. He then stood beside Emmet as they became synchronized in a pointing pose along with their speech. "Follow the rules and aim for victory! All aboard!"

Ingo's Pokémon of choice was his Garbodor, while Emmet's was his Galvantula. To battle and hopefully defeat them, I used Rubella to take on Garbodor, and Haley sent out Kuina against Galvantula.

"Rubella, use Wing Attack!" I shouted.

"Garbodor, counter with Psychic!" Ingo commanded.

As Rubella tried charging at the Poison-type with powered-up wings, her body came to a screeching halt when Garbodor conjured a wave of mysterious energy at my Zubat. The force sent Rubella flying across the train car and into the back.

"How the…" I breathed, "how does a Garbodor know Psychic?!"

"You shouldn't judge what a Pokémon can learn based on their type," Ingo told me, a smirk of confidence teasing his lips.

"_As much as I'd hate to admit it, he's right,"_ I growled mentally. "_I'd better think fast!"_

"Hynden, wanna take a switch?" Haley asked as the injured Galvantula injured Kuina with a critical Wild Charge thanks to the Scope Lens increasing its focus.

"I'd thought you'd never ask!" I agreed, calling Rubella back as she devoured her held Oran Berry.

"Take a rest, Spinnella," Emmet said to his weary Galvantula as it was recalled. "Durant, full speed ahead!"

I was about to give Rubella the next command when I saw Emmet's next Pokémon come to light. Not only was I horrified at the Steel-type Pokémon, but I looked at Rubella as possible, yet terrible outcomes came flashing in my head. Extremely fearful, I tried calming my nerves by breathing slowly as I recalled Rubella in a heartbeat.

"It's okay, Hynden, it's okay, Hynden…" I panted to myself, grabbing ahold of my sweating head. "Rubella won't get hurt, everything will be fine…"

"Are you alright, Hynden?" Emmet asked with concern.

"Y-Yeah, never better!" I assured him, still trying to catch my breath. "Tidus, let's-"

Before I could finish my sentence and call out my trusty Servine, I saw Kuina take critical damage from Garbodor's Venoshock attack. Ingo's next Pokémon was even worse than Emmet's when he decided to give his Poison-type a break. The moment I saw his Klinklang come out and use a harsh Gear Grind to take Kuina down, panic rushed through my body like the speeding train we were on. It was bad enough Klinklang resembled Magneton and was a pure Steel-type, but the memories of the one N had and everything involving my last moments with Lulu exacerbated things greatly.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it…!" I gasped, my heart rate and nerves increasing as my vision started to flash between scarlet and normal.

"Ingo, time-out!" Emmet cried, rushing over to me once all instances of the battle ceased and his Durant had been recalled. "Hynden, what's wrong?"

"I'll be fine, I'll be fine…" I repeated as Haley walked over near me too.

"Shh, it's alright," Haley said soothingly, ignoring the lights restlessly flickering from my panic, "Everything's gonna be just fine. Klinklang's gone now, okay?"

Neither Haley nor Emmet would leave my anxious side as I started bringing my hyperventilation down to normal breathing. The lights stopped flickering once I began to calm down more, and my vision was scarlet-free once again. Still breathing and repeating a soothing mantra quietly, I let Emmet help me up and I regained my balance once more.

"Mädchen, what seemed to be the issue?" Ingo asked me.

"It's over now," I wheezed. "Just a little nerve scare is all. I'm not the easiest person around most Steel-types."

"Let's just say something awful happened when Hynden and I were kids," Haley stated.

"In that case, we'll have to continue the battle a different way," Ingo sighed, recalling his Klinklang. "Good think Garbodor didn't take too much damage beforehand."

"Are you going to be alright, Hynden?" Emmet and Haley asked me at different times.

"H-Here's to hoping. But don't worry!" I assured them, "I-I'm a tough girl! Let's just get this battle going-"

Suddenly, the Multi-Train car came to a screeching halt, sending everyone abruptly forward. While Ingo and Haley were picking themselves off the ground, I realized Emmet was directly on top of me, and his face was making direct contact with my chest.

"E-Emmet?" I squeaked, my cheeks turning a light rose color.

"Mrmmph? Ah!" he gasped, lifting his head up until he was merely pinned over me with a deeply florid face. "Es tut mir leid, Hynden! I didn't mean to do that!"

"It's fine… blame the train stopping so suddenly…"

Haley immediately stormed over, and with a dark look in his eyes, he ripped Emmet away from me and got me back on my feet before hugging me in a clingy manner. When I got him to let go, I looked at Ingo, who was giving me a stern glare as Emmet went back to his side.

"Ingo, why has the train stopped?" Emmet wondered.

"Yeah, Deutschbag, what's wrong?" I asked him.

Before Ingo could answer or possibly retort my insulting sobriquet, we all heard noises coming from the previous train car. Both Subway Bosses walked closer to see what was going on, but I insisted they stop when I peeked inside first.

"What's going on-" Haley was about to ask until he looked at the other train car and became fierce. "_Them_! Hynden, let's get going! I ain't letting 'em get away this time!"

"Right! Ingo, Emmet, Haley and I got this covered," I told them. "You guys wait here."

"And just who do you think you are giving _us_ orders?" Ingo demanded to know, furrowing his pale eyes at me.

"Don't you guys need to stay here and troubleshoot what's going on with the train?" I asked. "Trust me, this won't take long. Either take my suggestion, or don't."

"Bruder, we need to protect the Battle Subway," Emmet pointed out, his expression now serious and straight-faced. "If we don't act, then whoever's behind this might make things worse."

"That's right," Ingo agreed. "Emmet, let's go. Which means you have to take care of your own task… Hayden, right?"

"It's _Hynden_!" I snapped, hearing the apathy in Ingo's voice when he took the incorrect guess.

"Nuance," Ingo said as he and Emmet hastily walked in the other direction to the smaller train car ahead.

Haley opened the train car door, and in we went. The sight before us wasn't a pleasant one. There was indeed a female Plasma Grunt, clad in her black neo-mercenary outfit glory. However, the Grunt was in the process of tying and bounding the couple we'd faced before the Subway Bosses.

"Mr. and Mrs. Pastello!" we cried, attempting to rescue them until a Scraggy struck us both with Headbutt, sending us to the floor.

"Now now, no attacking my hostages," the female Grunt chuckled maliciously, looking down at Haley and I with a glare.

"Let 'em go!" I demanded.

"And why should I?" the Grunt wondered, "This couple won't cooperate and fork over their Pokémon, so I'm gonna make them the _hard way_!"

While I picked myself off the ground, the female Grunt searched Mr. and Mrs. Pastello through their rope for the four Poké Balls they had on hand. They struggled and struggled, but the Grunt forcefully held them still despite their muffled cries of pain. I was about to act, but Haley beat me to the punch by unsheathing his dagger and slashing it across the Grunt's hand.

"AUGH!" she screamed, gripping her tattered and bleeding forehand. "Insolent little brat! I'll show you!"

The Grunt unsheathed her own dagger and attempted to attack Haley. Thinking fast, I removed Storm's Blade from my scabbard and swung it at the Grunt, knocking the dagger far across the train car. To prevent her from doing anything else, I pinned her to the walls with my katana blade at her neck. Despite this, the Grunt showed no signs of fear, and instead shot another glare at me.

"You're not really gonna use that, are you?" she taunted.

"Don't tempt me," I shot back.

"Oooh, tough girl. Listen, instead of cutting me open like a piñata, why don't we settle this like civilized women? A little Pokémon battle?"

"Bring it."

Before I released the Grunt from my sharp hold, I saw Haley slash the ropes, freeing Mr. and Mrs. Pastello from their prison. He told them to take their Pokémon and run as far away as they could, and they did just that by heading through the previous train cars.

"Well, there go my hostages…" the Grunt groaned when the katana blade was away from her neck. "No matter, I'll just finish you off here! Scraggy, attack!"

"Haley, take Rubella to the computer!" I told him, throwing Rubella's Great Ball at Haley, who caught it and took it over to the healing machine in the corner. "Tidus, you're up!"

"Scraggy, Headbutt!" the Grunt commanded.

"Tidus, use Vine Whip!" I shouted while I slid my katana back into its scabbard and re-attached it to my side.

Tidus grabbed Scraggy by the neck the moment it charged towards him. With one critical fling, the yellow Pokémon was sent crashing into the door to the fifth car. Scraggy wasn't ready to go down without a proper fight, and attacked with Feint Attack.

"Tidus, Leaf Tornado!" I told him.

As he did before, Tidus summoned several leaves and sent them towards Scraggy in a miniature tornado. One by one, the leaves scratched Scraggy's body until it grew worn out and fell from exhaustion. The female Grunt rolled her eyes and recalled her Pokémon with disappointment.

"I'll teach you," she sneered, throwing her next Poké Ball, "Golbat, Venoshock!"

My Servine had no time to act. The split second Golbat emerged from its Ball, it shot a powerful blast of poisonous gunk at Tidus, causing him to faint almost instantly from the intense toxicity.

"Tidus!" I gasped, recalling my fainted starter Pokémon. "Ah, what am I gonna do?! I left the others back at the station!"

"Oh? Are you out of Pokémon, little runt?" the Grunt taunted. "In that case, I win. Now, if you don't surrender your Servine, I'll have to use drastic measures."

"Hynden, catch!" Haley shouted, throwing Rubella's Great Ball over to me.

"Thanks a bunch, Hales!" I said, summoning my Zubat from her Ball. "What took you so long to heal our Pokémon?"

"Look, the computer was experiencing technical difficulties, so I had to tamper with it to get it rebooted again. Not to mention, the RAM got jacked up, and it took some time for me to get _that_ working again-"

"Okay, okay! Rubella, use Confuse Ray on Golbat!"

Rubella opened her mouth, and out came a bright ball that swarmed Golbat's head until it was utterly disoriented. Rubella took the opportunity to attack with Bite, inflicting moderate damage on the languishing Golbat.

"Golbat, attack!" the Grunt commanded.

No matter how hard Golbat tried to focus on Rubella, it wound up flying into the wall beside the healing computer and knocking itself out. The Grunt recalled her unconscious Pokémon with as much disdain as when her Scraggy lost. All of a sudden, Rubella cringed as her body started glowing and pulsing while a purple ooze surrounded it. Her form grew in size with her mouth and wings, her feet shrank, and a pair of eyes opened up from above the mouth. After the transformation, Rubella had evolved into a Golbat.

"So, this is what it's like to see the whole picture!" Rubella beamed, "It's much easier than having to rely on my senses to see _everything_!"

"Hmph, you may have won," the Grunt sneered, "but this was only the first phase of Operation Nimbasa! And judging by the word I received from my associates, everything's going great! Ta-ta, you little bastards!"

The female Grunt smashed the train car window open with a rusty metal pipe and started climbing through it. Haley ran over to try and stop her from getting away, but the Grunt was too fast and jumped straight out of the dormant train, running off into the darkness of the Multi-Line tunnel.

"Ah, shit!" Haley cursed, stomping his foot. "I let another one get away!"

"Don't worry," I told him, walking over to the healing computer and reviving Tidus, "she said there's others here. When we track them down, you can give them a piece of your mind."

Suddenly, my Xtransceiver sounded off. I looked at my wrist and saw the identities of the two callers. On the one hand, I didn't mind receiving a call from Emmet, but on the other, I felt disdain and aggravation when the other turned out to be Ingo.

"How's it going?" I asked after answering the call, staring at the twins' near-identical faces on the screen.

"Well, we just got ambushed by two Grunts calling themselves 'Team Plasma'," Ingo answered. "Of course, we took action and took them down."

"They never stood a chance!" Emmet added. "To think they'd try and do all of this to carry out some stupid plot…"

"But anyone who screws with the Battle Subway screws with us! Thankfully, all of the passengers aboard have been safely evacuated, so no one got hurt."

"Does that mean Team Plasma's totally gone from here?" Haley questioned.

"Not likely, Haley," Emmet answered with noticeable seriousness in his tone and expression. "According to the two dolts we just faced, they've got reinforcements around. Hynden, Haley, we need both of your helps!"

"You got it, Emmet!" I agreed, "We'll search for the remaining Grunts, and-"

Suddenly, the train started moving again at a higher speed, and the call was cut off just as instantly. I tried coming in contact with the Subway Bosses again, but it was an utter no-go. Then, another strange sound was heard from outside. I rushed to the door window and saw the female Plasma Grunt, clinging to the car Haley and I were in and shutting off her blow torch with a maniacal grin. When the train cars started moving away from each other, she jumped off into the darkness. Before the train cars' run of separation picked up speed, I caught a glimpse of the panicked and shocked faces of the Subway Bosses until the seventh car disappeared.

"Haley, we gotta go!" I told him, tugging him by the wrist until realizing he wouldn't budge. "Haley, didn't you hear me?! Ingo and Emmet are in trouble!"

"There's no time to save them, Hynden!" Haley argued, "We gotta get off of this train ourselves! Besides, I'm sure they'll live!"

"Really? You expect them to survive a possible train collision? If we don't act, they might die!"

"Hynden, just leave them," Haley insisted with a somewhat shady smile. "If you do, then the two of us will definitely be safe from harm. Don't you want that?"

"Yeah, but…"

"But what? Hynden, all I want is for us to survive and hunt down those Plasma bastards! Even if we're the only ones that live-"

"Tidus, grab him!" I exclaimed, summoning the Servine in question as he wrapped his vines around Haley's body.

"Hynden, what the hell?!" Haley snapped.

"Trust me, I've got this," I assured him. "Tidus, hold onto me tight with those vines of yours. I'm about to do something nuts!"

Once Tidus' vines were secure around me and Haley, I flung the door open to the sight of the train rushing backwards through the tunnel. I commanded Tidus to extend his vines as far as he could until he grabbed onto something.

"Anything?" I asked.

"Hmm… yeah," Tidus answered. "Ah! But, it's moving!"

"Great, that's the rest of the train! Hold on, boys, this is gonna be a bumpy ride!"

Before Tidus or Haley could object, I leaped off the train and forward the three of us went across the tunnel. We were all screaming with terror at the high speed as the abandoned Multi-Train half rushed through the back tunnels. Tidus' Vine Whip harness pulled us all the way across until the Multi-Train was in sight. Luckily, Ingo opened up the door, but the collision the three of us made with the other side of the train car was harsh.

"Urgh… warn me next time you're gonna do that," Haley groaned, disoriented.

"If I did, you wouldn't have budged," I retorted, recalling the disoriented Tidus to his Poké Ball. "Any way to stop the train?"

"Just about!" Emmet said from the smaller control panel, "A few more clicks, and…!"

"Hang onto something!" Ingo shouted to us as Emmet found the access to a red button on a screen. "This is gonna get rough!"

When Emmet slammed his palm on the red hand-shaped screen button, the remaining portion of the train lurched forward as its full-speed stopping process commenced. As it sped through the tunnel in an attempt to stop itself, everyone aboard grabbed ahold of the closest thing and let out adrenaline-fueled screams of terror. Eventually, the train came to an ardent halt as everyone was flung forward.

"Ouch…" I groaned until I realized I'd fallen on top of Ingo. "Gah!"

"Do you mind?" Ingo asked rudely as he moved away from me.

"Not at all," I spat back with attitude. "At least the train stopped."

"Let's go find those Plasma bastards!" Haley growled. "They _won't_ get away from me this time!"

Just then, a loud static sounded off from Ingo's ear microphone. He pressed a small button on it, and began speaking to the blatantly distressed person on the other line. No one else could make out what the person was saying, but the black-clad Subway Boss' facial expressions and responses didn't imply anything good.

"What?! The Single _and_ Double Lines?!" Ingo gasped, "Okay, we're on it! Emmet, we gotta go!"

"Ingo, what's wrong?" Emmet asked with worry.

"Team Plasma's got a hold of the Single and Double Trains! If we don't act now, then we might suffer another accident…"

"Hynden, you and Haley go find the goons responsible! Bruder and I will help you find the main control room to search for Plasma Grunts, but the rest is up to you guys!"

"Got it!" I confirmed with Haley.

The four of us exited what remained of the Multi-Train and made our way to a sturdy tunnel platform. In the wall was a door blockaded by a high-tech security system. Near a small handprint-scanner, Ingo removed his right glove and placed his palm on the scanner until the lock light turned green and opened the door.

"Now that the door's unlocked, just find the main control room," Ingo said. "You can't miss it; you both have to keep going down until you find the next left and the properly labelled door. Do you both think you can handle that?"

"Consider it done!" Haley corroborated, placing a saluting hand to his forehead for a brief second.

"Good luck, you two," Emmet said to us, sending a smile towards my way especially.

"Same to you and Ingo," I responded. "This oughta be a piece of cake!"

I caught a glance of the Subway Bosses' raised eyebrows of confusion before they started bolting towards wherever the rest of the Team Plasma invaders were. For guys in such strange uniforms, I found both of them to be very fast runners. Opening the door, Haley followed me inside. With Ingo's directions memorized, my best friend and I started on the path to the Battle Subway's main control room.

* * *

**Pokémon obtained:** None.

**Badges earned:** 4/8

**Boxed/Unboxed:** None.

* * *

**Author's Note:** First, here are the translations of some of the German words:

"Hallo" = "hello"

"Bruder" = "brother"

"Bengel" = "brat"

"Spinnell" (from Spinnella's name) = "spider"

"Mädchen" = "young girl" or just "girl"

"Es tut mir leid" = "it brings me sorrow" ("I'm sorry")

Also, Ingo and Emmet's confusion of the term "a piece of cake" is because of a German translation since they don't use the literal term in Germany. They both have the gist of Unova customs, but a lot of metaphorical terms still confuse 'em. And another thing, I think I'm the only one who gave the Subway Bosses a bigger role when writing a story based off of my playing experience. Stay tuned for Chapter 18!


	18. Battle On The Subway! (Part 2)

**Author's Note:** This one's nice and long for those of you reading this story! I've been fighting myself to try and get this chapter done, and I'm glad I did! This is just the last part of the improvised and expanded Team Plasma encounter in Nimbasa City. I wanted to do something with the Subway Bosses in the Nimbasa visit, and I'd say I did a good job. Regardless, let's see what you think of it. Enjoy!

* * *

The somewhat dim lights acted as our guide through the small corridor. The straight path we were told to go down seemed to go on forever, but Haley and I eventually reached the left turn. As we approached the unlocked door, I stopped Haley from barging in by pulling back his prepared fist of interruption.

"Not yet," I said, leaning my head in at the door.

"Is it done yet?" I heard a male Grunt ask from the other side.

"No! Just keep waiting, will ya?" the female Grunt snapped as I heard the sound of keys furiously being tacked away at. "A few more clicks, and the Battle Subway security will be defective!"

"Ha! Those Pokémon in the storage don't stand a chance!"

"Oh no they don't!" Haley growled, "Hynden, can we go in now?"

"Yup!" I shouted, kicking the door open. "Not so fast, Team Plasma!"

"Gyah! And who do you think you are?!" the female Grunt demanded, clenching her fist as she turned to us.

"Tch, don't worry, it's just two little runts," the male Grunt scoffed, rolling his eyes. "How come the esteemed Subway Bosses couldn't come and try to stop us?"

"Ingo and Emmet are preoccupied with the rest of your toadies at the moment," I said, taking out a Poké Ball. "But don't worry; Haley and I'll have no problem taking care of both of you in their place."

"Ha! You two are really gonna take us down?" the female Grunt taunted. "Fine. I'll take the spiky-haired brat, and my associate will take you."

"Wh-What?! Wait now, I wasn't-"

"You're on!" Haley and I exclaimed.

Against the startled male Grunt's Trubbish, I called out Rubella since she was the more efficient choice compared to Tidus. In the meantime, Haley's choice of Pokémon to use against the female Grunt's Watchog was Ace the Pignite.

"Rubella, Confuse Ray!" I commanded.

"Trubbish, Stockpile!" the Grunt retorted.

When the expanded bright ball of discombobulating light sprang from Rubella's enlarged mouth, Trubbish opened its own mouth and swallowed it right up with no side effects. It flashed brightly for a split second and appeared slightly bulkier when the attack was consumed.

"Trubbish, Sludge!" the Grunt commanded.

Trubbish swished the gunk inside of its puffy cheeks around and fired a dark purple and foul-smelling ball of sludge straight at Rubella, sending her tumbling backwards mid-air. She fervidly shook the gunk off of her face and glared at Trubbish.

"Rubella, give it one more Confuse Ray!" I exclaimed.

This time, my Golbat swiftly flew in towards Trubbish. When it prepared itself for another attack, Rubella flew right past it and shot the Confuse Ray ball in its direction. Trubbish had no time to defend itself and wound up losing focus rather quickly.

"Urgh… why, why is there two Golbats?" Trubbish slurred, slumping from side to side.

"Rubella, Wing Attack!" I shouted.

Rubella's wings illuminated and she flew straight at Trubbish, inflicting critical damage on it. Trubbish tried to attack by running and jumping at Rubella, but its charge was futile as it instead crashed into its Trainer.

"Oh, my aching back," the Plasma Grunt groaned before slumping backwards.

As the male Plasma Grunt and Trubbish laid unconscious, I turned over to Haley's battle. Ace had just used his last Rollout move to subdue Watchog. When the female Grunt recalled her Pokémon with a disgusted eye roll, she gasped when Haley suddenly grabbed her by the neck and pinned her to the ground with his dagger positioned at the skin layer.

"What, what are you…?!" she coughed.

"Shut it!" Haley snapped, "Now, here are two options: You could either A., give me information about the Purrloin your associates took from my baby sister, or B., I slash your damn neck open. Choose wisely."

"W-Wait a minute, I think I've heard of you!" she gasped, horrified. "They've informed me that some child single-handedly murdered two of our associates back at Castelia City! Oh, I know what you'll do to me! You'll just slice my neck open, stab me multiple times until I bleed to my death! Then you'll devour my flesh to the point where I'm nothing but a mutilated corpse and you've been satisfied for your own amusement!"

"Th-That's disgusting!" Haley gagged, cringing at the morbid thought, "I just want Julia's Purrloin back!"

"O-Oh! Well in that case, it's none of your business! Do I know where the Purrloin in question is? Who the hell knows-"

The female Grunt gasped when the dagger started going deeper into her neck until blood slowly poured from the staining silver and to the floor. I went over and grabbed Haley, yanking him back until he fell flat on his bottom and the dagger was out of his hand. At the same time, the male Grunt rushed over to his female counterpart with great concern.

"Terri!" he cried, covering her blood-dripping neck with his glove. "Are you alright?"

"I should be…" she breathed, "Luckily, the brat didn't cut too deep or I would've been screwed." Terri coughed up a bit of blood before trying to keep her shaky balance. "Look kid, I honest to Arceus know nothing about your sister's Purrloin, so you're shit outta luck. Barty here and I are among the newer members, so what happened then is none of my business."

"You gotta know something! All you Plasma scum are alike and probably exchange private info-"

"Shut up already! I just said I know nothing about past events, so drop it! You want the Purrloin back, ask someone else without cutting their windpipe out!" Terri coughed up more drops of blood, even with Barty's hand protecting the cut. "C'mon, Bart, we're outta here… At least these two are too dumb to fix the Battle Subway security system…"

With one benign Poison Gas attack from Trubbish, Haley and I were rendered violently coughing as rapid footsteps were heard. When the smoke cleared, we saw that Barty and Terri escaped nimbly with their Pokémon. Before Haley could turn away, I grabbed him by the wrist harshly, making him squirm in my painful grasp.

"Ouch! Not so tight, Hynden!" Haley cringed.

"What was that about, Haley?!" I demanded, "I thought I told you to stop trying to murder everyone around us!"

"I wasn't gonna kill her if she didn't comply! Not that she didn't deserve to die, but I was only going to go that far unless she told me what she knew!"

"She didn't know anything about Minnie! Team Plasma may be evil, but attempted murder isn't necessarily the answer to your problems!"

"Like I said, I was only gonna kill her if she knew about Minnie but wasn't telling me. And since she didn't know jack, I let her go!"

"Yeah, only after I yanked you off! You could have gone too far if I didn't do anything!"

"I would not have! She looked ready to cave, so I was gonna pull the blade away! Stop assuming things, Hynden!"

I rolled my eyes in frustration at Haley failing to listen to my reasoning. Sighing, I told him to keep looking in his Team Plasma investigation, but that he'd also better stay true to his word on not taking things too far. Otherwise, I'd have to make him keep it. Suddenly, several alarms went off from the three screens displaying the complex structure of the Battle Subway. The screens were flashing red and the words "WARNING: SECURITY BREACHED", only exacerbated when I panicked and furiously tacked away at random keys.

"Come on, shut off!" I pleaded, only for more invalid alarms to be triggered. "How do you do this?!"

"Step aside, rookie," Haley said, moving me away from the keyboard as he got to work. "Alright, access the I/O path, here's the HTTP port, disable their TCP scan, complete this damn algorithm, aaaand… done!" Haley declared, pressing one more key confidently as the system's alarm was disabled along with the regular security being rebooted.

"Since when do you know how to code?" I asked him, impressed.

"My mom's a scientist, so she's gonna know a thing or two about Java," Haley explained. "When I was younger, I kept asking her and asking her to teach me, and she gave me these cool lessons whenever she was free!"

"It looked really complicated. How'd you do that without breaking a sweat?"

"Pffft, _complicated_? It's like learning a new language, only this one's 'Computer-ese' as I like calling it."

My Xtransceiver suddenly rang off, prompting me to answer it. On the other line were Ingo and Emmet, both of whom looked rather distressed and scratched up.

"We could use a little backup," Emmet coughed with a strained smile.

"A lot of backup, actually," Ingo added. "These Plasma creeps keep sending more and more reinforcements, and we can only take so many! One of you head to the Double Line, and the other to the Single Line with me."

"Roger!" I confirmed, shutting off the Xtransceiver. "But first, we gotta find a way to get the rest of our Pokémon back."

"Hynden, look what I found!" Haley pointed out, gesturing to the slot labelled "BP Card here". "Let's see what it does."

Haley took out his Battle Point Card and inserted the proper end into the slot. The screen changed, processing the copied data until Haley's full team appeared. With a few keyboard tacks, Naya was registered back into his team.

"Hales, you never cease to amaze me," I remarked, overjoyed as I inserted my card after Haley removed his.

I typed away at the keyboard after my own team showed up onscreen. The means of re-recruiting everyone was pretty simple, and the task got done in a few keyboard types. Removing my Battle Point card from the slot, I was happy to see that the Poké Balls of Leon, Eris, Percy, and Michi re-appeared on my belt.

"Let's go!" Haley declared, "I'll take the Double Line, and you go to the Single Line!"

"What? And have to put up with lip from Sourpuss Ingo? I don't think so," I scoffed. "You go help him; I'm helping Emmet."

"No way! I've seen the way that bastard looks at you… Why don't I go deal with him instead? I'm sure it'll be much easier…" Haley insisted with dimming eyes and a grimace.

"Nice try, O'Malley. I know that look anywhere. I'm going to the Double Line, and you handle the Single Line, okay?"

"There's really no way to reason with ya, is there? ...Fine, meet us in the Gear Station after you win. Hopefully by then, I'll finally have the answers I need from those Plasma bastards!"

As if on cue, I got two messages on my Xtransceiver. Each one was from Ingo and Emmet, but instead of being a written message, they turned out to be copies of the Battle Subway map. I forwarded one of the maps to Haley so he knew which way to go while we were apart.

"Team Plasma, you're fucking dead!" Haley screamed, following his own path at a hasty rate once the map was on his device.

"_He oughta be busy for a long time,"_ I thought, running in the direction the map instructed. "_All I gotta do is find the Gear Station!"_

I kept running south from the security office. With several left turns and one right, I made it to one of the rest stops of the Double Line. I could only assume the regular Trainers had been evacuated once this whole kerfuffle began, but the only others present were Emmet and several other Team Plasma Grunts.

"Glad you could make it," Emmet panted, still winded. "Think you can help me take these four down?"

"I _know_ I can!" I boasted, running to Emmet's side and facing two of the Plasma Grunts.

"Alexis, Archeops, full speed ahead!" Emmet cried out, summoning his Eelektross and prehistoric Flying-type from their Poké Balls to fight the Liepard and Watchog.

"Leon, Michi, take the stage!" I shouted, summoning my Growlithe and Azumarill against the Scraggy and Krokorok.

"Ah, freedom at last!" Leon cheered before looking at me. "Hynden, what happened? What's with all the scratches?"

"I had to jump off a train, let's leave it at that," I answered. "Now, use Flame Burst on Scraggy! Michi, you use Bubble Beam on Krokorok!"

From Michi's mouth shot a jet of lethal bubbles, which pierced Krokorok several times before it fell unconscious. With Leon, however, the Flame Burst attack only dealt minimal damage. Because of that, Scraggy was able to use Headbutt against Leon's stomach. What happened next was probably the most fortunate thing in the battle.

"KWAH!" Leon yelped, unintentionally releasing a flurry of flames at Scraggy, rendering it wounded and burnt.

"...Ouch," Scraggy coughed before falling unconscious.

"Leon, are you okay?" I asked him. "Was that a Flamethrower you just did?"

"Doubt it. Dumbfuck must've hit my heat sack or somethin'."

"Heat sack?"

Activating my Pokédex, I searched for the entry on the Growlithe line. Under the section "Biology", I was told that members of the Growlithe and Arcanine family had special heat sacks in their stomach pits. When struck with great force, it caused an often lethal burst of fire to eject from the gut. Turning off my Poké Dex, I was suddenly ambushed by another Grunt, who sent her own Liepard pouncing towards me.

"Alexis, use Discharge on Liepard!" Emmet exclaimed from nearby before a jet of electricity shot out at Liepard, resulting in its ultimate fall.

"Thanks, Emmet," I said to him, giving him a thumbs up while recalling Michi and Leon. "You're a lifesaver!"

Just as Emmet recalled his Eelektross and Archeops, we were ambushed and surrounded by several Plasma Grunts, all of whom holding either crossbows or types of blades. With malicious looks in their eyes, they held their weapons up high as a female Grunt wearing white epaulettes and a silver sash adorned with the Team Plasma symbol (as opposed to having it on her black uniform) stepped forward.

"You may have won this fight," she taunted with a smirk, "but this battle is only just beginning. If we can't win a petty Pokémon spar, then let's see how you do in physical combat. Neo-Team Plasma, attack!" she shouted, pointing forward with all five of her fingers open.

At her command, the group of Plasma Grunts began attacking. I dodged the attacks as fast as I could, but still managed to get cut in the arm by a few crossbow bolts. Inhaling sharply through my teeth, I gripped the cut to slow the bleeding, but kept moving. One Grunt attempted to slash me with his clip-point blade, but I yanked myself backwards and nimbly dodged it.

"There's no way I'm leaving here with a second eye scar!" I growled, unsheathing Storm's Blade and holding it firmly with both hands while standing in the proper stance I'd been taught in the past.

I nimbly deflected every physical attack by swinging my blade. While I knocked the blade out of one Grunt's hand and knocked him to the ground, I was eventually caught in a scuffle with another. She managed to leave quite a few cuts on my body and small tears in my clothing. In addition, she left a gash in my left arm, causing me to scream in pain and clutch it while holding onto my katana for dear life.

Just as the struggling fight was starting to get tiring, I heard the sound of a crossbow fire. Before I had time to react or think, the bolt hit the female Grunt directly in the calf, stunning her entirely.

"How did…?" I wondered until I saw who fired the crossbow. "Emmet?! You shot it?"

"Yep! Thought I'd disarm the guy who tried shooting me," Emmet answered, smiling as he slugged and knocked away two more Grunts with little effort.

While I fought off some more Grunts with Storm's Blade, Emmet used the filched crossbow to his advantage. Although his remarkable aim was nearly flawless, I noticed he desperately averted his gaze from the previous target to the next with each shot. Soon, every last Grunt in the room was worn out with defeat and wounded with katana blade cuts and some crossbow bolts lodged through their flesh.

"Retreat!" they all shouted, limping and trudging away while clutching their wounds.

"Grr… you haven't seen the last of us!" the female Grunt commander snarled before absconding. "Hopefully, the Single Line wasn't as lucky with its defense!"

Once the Double Line was entirely Plasma-free, Emmet dropped the Plasma crossbow and I sheathed Storm's Blade once again. We were both exhausted from the nonstop brawls, but also equally relieved at the lack of Plasma Grunts. Just as we exchanged encouraging words of thanks, I cried out when a sharp pain pierced my upper left arm and gripped the area.

"Hynden, what's wrong?" Emmet asked me.

"My arm hurts. Don't worry, I'll live…" I insisted as blood seeped through my fingers.

Emmet looked down at my bleeding arm, and at that moment, I could have sworn his face turned paler than his uniform. His expression once adorned with his common smile was now fearsome and anxious with his profusely sweating forehead. Not only that, but the white-clad Subway Boss looked at though he was trying to prevent himself from vomiting or fainting, judging by the way he was inhaling sharply through his teeth and tightening his face with shut eyes.

"Emmet, what's…" I breathed, suddenly feeling lethargic and weak.

The gripping on my bleeding arm soon ceased as every nerve in my body started to go into hiatus. My exhaustion only threw salt in the proverbial wound, and my legs felt as wobbly as jelly. I saw Emmet reaching out to me, but nothing else as my vision went black and my body made contact with the hard floor.

* * *

When I opened my eyes again sometime later, my vision slowly came to full focus. I could make the scenery to be some sort of office, and the fact that I was laying on a small sofa. But, I yelped and bolted awake when something large, slobbery and soft ran up my cheek several times.

"Ah! Hey hey!" I cried as the slobbery feeling went away. In front of me was now a large Arcanine, whom I looked at with confusion. "Oh, hey there. Did you lose your Trainer, Arcanine?"

"I almost did!" Arcanine exclaimed in a familiar voice, "But now that she's awake, there's nothin' to worry about anymore!"

"...Leon?!" I wondered, recognizing the voice as his large head leaned into my chest. "Oh Arceus, it's you! When did you evolve, boy?"

Before my new Arcanine could answer, in came the Subway Bosses and a worried Haley. Leon pulled his head away from me when Haley rushed over and hugged me while crying out with worry.

"You're okay!" he wailed, "I thought I was gonna lose you for good!"

"Yes, Haley, I'm fine," I assured him as I got him to let go again. "How did I get here though?"

"Emmet brought you to our office," Ingo answered. "Apparently, you blacked out during your physical encounter with Team Plasma. Considering the scratches and cuts on your body, I'd say it was a pretty rough one."

"You physically fought those monsters?" Haley asked, amazed and surprised.

"That I did!" I confirmed confidently, flexing my half-bandaged arm at the same time I gripped it. I winced when the sharp pain returned to my bandaged upper arm briefly, but straightened my face when it mitigated.

"Careful, bengel," Ingo warned. "I didn't bandage that arm just for you to open the wound again. And it'll be _your_ fault if Emmet has to see blood again."

"Oh, right," I scoffed, rolling my eyes, "do you really expect me to believe _you_ bandaged my arm?"

"It's the truth!" Emmet insisted. "Bruder knows first-aid! He was able to patch that, urgh… störend wound right up!"

"Exactly," Ingo pointed out with a scowl directed only at me. "If it weren't for me, you'd have probably gotten an infection. Now, isn't there anything you should say?"

"...Thanks."

"Bitte."

Ingo's tone was just as reluctant and bitter as mine, if not more than it. On the other note, I was pretty curious on why Emmet was so unnerved at the sight of my wound before it was treated. However, my mind couldn't process the thought anymore once Leon started nuzzling against me and licking my face joyfully.

"Oh, that's right!" I said. "How did Leon suddenly evolve? Where did he get a Fire Stone?"

"A few Plasma Grunts attempted to raid the Battle Shop," Emmet explained. "When we were putting the items back, your once-Growlithe got curious and picked up a lone Fire Stone. The rest just followed suit."

"So, you just couldn't wait to evolve, huh, Leon?" I asked my Arcanine.

"Nope! The minute I saw that Fire Stone, I was ready baby!" he boasted, wagging his large tail excitedly.

"Aww, now you're my big strong boy!" I cooed, scratching Leon's larger belly until he was panting on his back. "Who's a good boy, Leon? You are! You are!"

"Yeah yeah yeah! I'm a good boy alright!" Leon panted excitedly, his leg shaking with his excited wagging tail.

Due to Leon's increased size, the tail wagging and leg shaking caused some nearby stuff in the office to shake, fall, and scatter everywhere until Ingo made me stop rubbing Leon's belly.

"Any more, and Emmet and I won't have an office," he said. "Since you've clearly made a recovery, I see no reason for you to lay here any longer. The Battle Subway is under maintenance due to the damage to the Multi-Train, so Emmet and I have work to do today."

"Fine, I wasn't planning on staying near you anyways, Deutschbag" I sneered, getting off of the sofa and recalling Leon to his Poké Ball. "Now if you'll excuse me, there's a Quake Badge in Driftveil City with _my_ name on it!"

"Wunderbar. Emmet, let's go."

"Eine minuten, Bruder," Emmet insisted, shooing his brother and a suspicious Haley out the office door. "I still have that 'special proposal' to ask of Miss Hynden. And it's verrrrry confidential!"

Neither Ingo nor Haley had time to object because Emmet closed the door on both of them. When he turned to me, he straightened up and cleared his throat while composing a genuine smile on his ruddy face. I raised a confused brown eyebrow, but I was certain the proposal had to be some kind of important battle since there was no other possible favor in mind.

"Miss Hynden, I called you here to ask you-" Emmet began with a smile.

"Say no more," I insisted, throwing one of my Poké Balls. "Michi, it's battle time!"

Rather than the favor being returned and Michi having an opponent to face, I instead received a look of bewilderment from Emmet followed by a few lighthearted chuckles.

"What's so funny?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow, "You said you wanted to have a special battle against me!"

"No I didn't," Emmet chuckled, the smile failing to leave his face. "As much as I love Pokémon battles, that's not what I wanted to propose to you."

"Then what did you want?"

"Well…" Emmet began, clearing his throat again and straightening up, "When I met and battled you this morning, I saw… lots of potential in you. And our fight against Team Plasma made me see that you're just as strong as you are incredibly pretty!"

"Okay, thank you…? What are you getting at?"

"What I'm getting at is I'd like to know more about you! So… how about one date?"

Michi and I both looked at each other and blinked in surprise before I turned to face Emmet again. He caught onto my reaction, and his expression was now one of complete embarrassment when he bit the side of his thumb and blushed while looking away.

"S-Sorry this is so sudden," he squeaked. "I was planning on taking you to Nimbasa Park sometime later tonight because I thought it'd be such a nice place to take you…"

"I was actually trying to find time to go there myself," I pondered, "but, a date proposal's a little surprising and soon-"

"Hynden, say yes!" Michi urged, tapping my arm with her hand.

"Michi, butt out!" I whispered back to her, "Not that spending time with Emmet has been or would be bad, but don't you think it's even a _little_ awkward?"

"Come on! He obviously likes you! Besides, what's the worst that could happen if you accept? Didn't you go on a date with Haley?"

"He probably considers that a date, but I'm not thinking so much of that. Maybe if I do go, it can't be all too bad…"

"Hynden? Are you and your Azumarill having an interesting conversation over there?" Emmet asked with an amused tone.

"As a matter of fact, we are," I answered with a smirk. "She wants me to go with you to Nimbasa Park."

"So… will you?"

"Hmm, that's a good question. Will I, or won't I?" The smirk was still tight on my face as I paused for a few moments in thought, fully aware of the nervousness in Emmet's eyes. "To answer my question… I will."

"You, you will?!" Emmet repeated with joy as his usually ghostly silver eyes lit up. "Ah, wunderbar! Sehr wunderbar!"

"Why not? You seem like a pretty cool person to go with. Better than your salty brother, that's for sure…"

"Ah, scheiße!" Emmet cursed, "I forgot; I'm supposed to help Ingo with the new Multi-Train maintenance in Anville Town!"

"Oh. I guess that means the trip's off?"

"Nein! Bruder and I have had to replace some of the trains in the past, so I doubt it'll take long! I should be ready to go by this evening. Sound good, Miss Hynden?"

"Yep! Just call me when you're all set, and I'll come by Anville Town. See you then, Emmet!"

When the younger Subway Boss and I left the office, he headed off in another direction until he was out of sight completely. I turned around to leave the building, only to jump and shriek in surprise when I suddenly faced Haley.

"Kh-hah!" I yelped as I got huffy and placed my balled fists on my hips, "Haley! What did I say about sneaking up on me?!"

My irritation mitigated when I noticed Haley hadn't responded. I also saw his maroon eyes were dull and furrowed as opposed to their usual fiery liveliness. Haley looked in the direction Emmet had walked off to, and that made his eyebrows crease with more anger.

"Haley? Is something wrong?" I asked, waving my hand in front of him.

"What, me?" he laughed, finally facing me with the same darkened eyes. "No no, Hynnie. I'm peachy! I was just waiting outside for you so we could walk out together is all. But while doing so, I couldn't help but hear you and that bastard Emmet talking."

"You were listening in on my conversation?!" I gasped, now irate.

"Hey, I didn't _mean_ to hear it. I just so happened to. So, I heard you're going on a date with him…"

"Well, that's what he said it was. Haley, I've never had the time to actually enjoy a visit to Nimbasa Park, so I agreed to go with him. I wanna get to know more about him." I saw that my explanation didn't make Haley's dull eyes revert one bit, and his face was still dark and irate.

"You can't go… you just can't! Wouldn't you rather spend time with me? Someone you've known longer than this bastard?!"

"I spend time with you enough, Hales. Look, you're my best friend in the whole world, but I'm allowed to hang around others too. After this, I'll get to know Emmet a little more and have some fun! Now, I'm going with him tonight, and you can't stop me."

His eyes widening and gripping the sides of his head, Haley looked down darkly as his breathing became shallow. I always got worried when he got like this, so I tried getting his attention in a gentle manner. When he looked up at me, Haley's eyes were noticeably closer to their normal state, and he had his usual smirk on his face.

"...You're right, Hynden," Haley decided. "I can't stop you from going, and I've got no right to. As your closest and best friend, I'm never gonna stop you from doing your own thing! Besides… I've got some Plasma Grunts to hunt down."

"Hmm, you're really okay with this?"

"Yup! More than okay! Have fun, Hynnie! I'll catch ya later!"

As Haley and I went our separate ways, the last thing I saw was him waving me goodbye. I also noticed his waving was slowing down and his eyes started furrowing the further I got. Gulping, I just kept walking until I was up the stairs from the Gear Station and out of the Battle Subway. Around the building were several police cars and officers arresting several captured Team Plasma Grunts.

"Justice has been served," I remarked.

My attention was grabbed when Michi tapped on my leg a few times. For someone so usually relaxed, her expression was now pretty worried and unsure. I stopped and finally faced my Azumarill to speak to her.

"Michi?" I asked.

"Hynden, that Haley kid gives me the creeps," Michi shuddered. "His dead doll eyes just scream 'bloodthirsty psycho'! How can you stand to be around someone like that?!"

"I've known Haley since we were little kids, so it's something you build endurance to over time. He's also got a good side to him, you know. But… I hope I don't have to keep him on an emotional leash for too long. I'm not sure why he's suddenly so possessively jealous towards everyone I make friends with."

"But, you're not gonna let him stop you from making new friends, are you?"

"Hell no! Haley said himself he wouldn't stop me from doing what I want. And even if he did, there's no way I'd listen to him! I'm going on that date- I mean, _trip_, with Emmet tonight!"

"Good! That funny-looking Subway Boss guy would make a way better boyfriend than your other friend anyways."

"B-Boyfriend?! Michi, I'm not going out with Emmet like _that_!" I sputtered, a rosy color flushing in my cheeks. "I'm just going with him to Nimbasa Park tonight is all!"

"And what could be more romantic than a trip to an amusement park on a beautiful summer evening?"

"Enough, Michi. He's just a new friend is all, and that's it!"

Flustered and blushing, I recalled the sly Azumarill to her Poké Ball and ordered myself a room until morning. Once in my temporary room, I looked in the mirror and felt rather displeased at my scratched up self and somewhat torn outfit. Grabbing some different clothes from my bag, I discarded the torn version of my usual outfit and headed into the bathroom to start getting ready for my future evening event.

* * *

**Pokémon obtained:** None.

**Badges earned:** 4/8

**Boxed/Unboxed:** None.

* * *

**Author's Note:** The German translations for this chapter:

"Bengel" = "brat"

"Bruder" = "brother"

"Störend" = "disturbing"

"Bitte" = "you're welcome"

"Wunderbar" = "wonderful"

"Einen minuten" = "one minute"

"Sehr" = "very"

"Scheiße" = "shit"

And now, for the actual A/N. I developed a HC that Emmet's hemophobic (intense fear of blood), contrary to how most people portray him. There will be an explanation for that come the next chapter, you'll see! Also, his Eelektross is indeed male; "Alexis" is a unisex name in some places, and I've had the name for him for quite some time. Lastly, I did take Programming this year, but I didn't understand too much of it, so sorry if it's not accurate in the story! Anyways, see you in Chapter 19! Go ahead and review this chapter!


	19. A Date With Near Death-stiny!

**Author's Note:** What's up? School's almost over for me, so after next week (finals), I'll be able to relax more often. That doesn't mean automatic updates, but I'll have more opportunity to work on them if I can. Anyways, this chapter's kinda shippy, and I thought of a new ship name (MetallicShipping, should be obvious who it is). Also, there's a not-so secret character, so there. But, I still hope you enjoy this chapter! I had fun writing it!

* * *

It took me a little under a half hour to freshen up, so it was nearly 5:30. Once I'd bathed and dried my body, I put on some chic black pants and a navy blue halter top shirt. Brushing my hair thoroughly, I styled it in my usual high ponytail and peek-a-bangs and placed my signature cap over my head before pulling my memorial locket over my head. Instead of my black and olive sneakers, the shoes I slipped onto my feet were violet flat cone-heel sandals.

"Not too shabby," I told myself, adjusting my ponytail in the mirror. "Alright! I'm all set!"

I put my Poké Ball belt inside of the black pants loops, but decided to leave Storm's Blade behind in the room. Instead, I brought with me a maroon and black handbag containing my necessities for the amusement park. Locking my room up after exiting, I went downstairs to the Pokémon Center lobby and out the door. At that moment, I received a message from Emmet instructing for me to come to a certain address in Anville Town. I was still unsure about where to go, so I texted him the words "How do I get 2 AT?". Only half a minute after the message was sent, I received an answer from him.

"The dark brown train line?" I wondered. "Huh, I was wondering where that led to."

I entered the Battle Subway and down the stairs I went to the Gear Station. Walking in the direction the Depot Agent instructed me, I got aboard the brown line train to Anville Town after my Trainer ID got scanned. As the train drove itself out of Nimbasa City and to a more rural setting, I was starting to feel rather relaxed until I noticed a mysterious figure on the train.

"Huh?" I wondered, catching a glance of dark hair until they pulled the newspaper they were reading over their face. "Weird, I thought it was someone else." Despite the stranger looking away, I was still suspicious about the shape of a hair section I noticed. "I'd better keep an eye on this person…"

The train stopped in front of a platform, and I got off alongside the few other passengers, the anonymous guest included. When I was out beneath the summer sun that was preparing to start setting, I couldn't find the mysterious person anywhere, so I figured I'd drop my suspicion for the time being.

I looked at my Xtransceiver messages and tracked down the address Emmet sent me earlier. Anville Town was rather rural and small, so there weren't as many buildings as its neighbor city of Nimbasa. I spotted a building with the address I was looking for, and it turned out to be a nice-looking apartment of the sort. I searched the address box on the wall and skimmed down until I found the apartment number next to the right names.

"They live so high up, sheesh," I remarked, going inside and entering the elevator.

A few minutes and floors passed, and I finally arrived on the fourth of the six floors. I looked at each apartment number going down the hall and came across a door labelled "Apt. 11" above the mail slot. I rang the doorbell only a couple of times before it was answered. However, the person who answered the door was unfortunately Subway Boss Ingo, whose lack of trademark head revealed his somewhat messy silver bangs. He was still in his work uniform save for his black Subway Boss long-coat and similarly colored shoes that were once over his pair of black socks. In addition to his usual scowl, Ingo was covered in train oil stains and scratches from the earlier incident.

"What's wrong, Deutschbag?" I asked him snidely, "Didn't have time to actually bathe?"

"I'm actually rather surprised you did," Ingo retorted, rolling his ghostly silver eyes.

"Whatever. Is your brother ready for tonight?"

"...Hmph. Emmet, deine Gast ist hier!" Ingo called into the apartment.

As if on command, the younger and sweeter Subway Boss came to the doorway. Instead of the outfit I saw him in last, Emmet was wearing light gray pants, a black-and-white striped shirt underneath a white jacket, a pale blue decorative scarf wrapped lightly around his neck, and a pair of different white shoes. His silver bangs were slightly less messy due to the double-x hair clip pinning some hair back, and I could see more of his neck-length locks. Lastly, he was carrying a white string bag decorated with a thick black arrow pointing downwards.

"You look sehr schön, Miss Hynden," Emmet complimented, looking at my outfit from head to toe with a smile.

"Umm, what was the word… danke!" I replied, "You look very nice too. Are you ready to go?" I asked him.

"Yup! Let's go! Can't wait for this!"

"Remember, Em," Ingo said with a raised finger, "be back by halb neun and no later."

"'Halb neun'?" I wondered.

"Bruder says I have to be home by 8:30." Emmet translated with a smile. "That's three hours we've got to have as much fun together as possible!"

"Oh. Well, I'm sure that's plenty of time!"

Emmet hugged Ingo tightly and said bye before heading past me down the hall. I was about to start following him until I let out a gasp upon feeling Ingo grab my shoulder harshly. I turned around and saw he had a more-than-menacing look on his face and a deep frown to match, but I could also detect some hints of worry in those ghostly eyes of his.

"Hört zu," he said sternly, not breaking fierce eye contact for a second as his brows furrowed. "You probably weren't aware of this before, but Emmet and I have been through this procedure before, and it has yet to end well. So, if my dear brother comes home crying and alone again, you _won't_ like what I do. Are we clear, bengel?"

"C-Crystal," I answered, nodding my head. "Can I go now?"

"Yes. You and Emmet be careful tonight. Be sure he's back on time."

Nodding one last time, I walked down the hall in Emmet's direction as Ingo shut the door after he went in. I wasn't aware of anything else except going down the elevator with Emmet. Eventually, we were both out of the apartment building altogether and boarding the Anville Town train. As we got on, the Depot Agent saluted Emmet, and he returned the favor with a smile before he took a seat next to me.

"Are you excited for our date, Miss Hynden?" Emmet asked as the train took off.

"I am excited!" I answered, "It's about time I finally get to enjoy myself at the park. No Gym battle, no stress, and more importantly, no Team Plasma trying to drive me crazy."

"You've met Team Plasma before? When?"

"Two years ago. They claimed they wanted to 'liberate the Pokémon', when their leader just tricked them into getting rid of everyone's so he could conquer the world. But, one brave little sixteen-year old brought 'em all to their knees."

"Was that girl you?!"

"That's right. I used to be known as the 'Heroine of Ideals' before I disappeared for two years to train some more."

"Wow, that's amazing! I can't believe I'm sitting next to and going on a date with such a noble woman! Was taking down Team Plasma as hard as it was earlier today?"

"Actually, it was at least five times more difficult than today's fight. If my right eye amounts to anything." I lifted up my peek-a-bangs to show Emmet the scarred line running from the top of my right eyelid to the bottom. "See, I got this when-"

Before the rest of my words could escape my lips, I swore to myself that I heard a low growl from nearby. I turned around and saw the same mysterious person from before, but the newspaper was still obstructing their face. I blinked in suspicion and worry before Emmet caught my attention.

"Is that someone you know, Hynden?" he asked me.

"I don't think so," I answered in an unsure tone. "I can't see who they are from here. I'm sure they aren't important; let's just get off the train."

The moment the train stopped at the Gear Station again, each of the few passengers got off before Emmet and I did. As we walked towards the exit of the Battle Subway, we heard a somewhat raspy breath behind us, almost like a ghost. But when the two of us turned around, the thing disappeared instantly.

"Did you see anything, Emmet?" I asked him.

"I thought I did," he answered, suspicious. "I'm sure it's nothing right now. Let's go!"

We walked up the tall flight of stairs and out we were on the streets of Nimbasa City. As it was in Anville Town, the sun shone brightly, but fused with its oncoming set to make a hue of yellow-tinted cyan. When Emmet and I reached Nimbasa Park, we stopped in front of the Rondez-View Ferris Wheel in its titanic glory, spinning idly with the riders in the Poké Ball-shaped cabins.

"Would you like to go on the Ferris Wheel first?" Emmet asked, "It is a rather relaxing ride for couples." He blinked when he realized the last word as a pink hue flushed beneath his sideburns. "Err, what I mean is a couple of _people_!" he sputtered, "I'm not saying we're a couple or anything!"

"It's alright, I know what you meant," I assured him. "Besides, I think we should save the Wheel for last. It seems like an end-of-the-night ride more than a first one."

"True, very true! Should we go to the rides towards the center of the park then?"

"Sounds like a plan to me, Emmet! I've never been through the entire park either."

Just as Emmet and I were starting to walk together, we jumped in surprise when a person in an Emolga mascot costume suddenly rushed towards us and shoved Emmet to the ground. I helped Emmet off the ground, but the rude mascot rushed off out of sight before I could snap at them.

"Asshole…" I growled under my breath, "You okay, Emmet?"

"I should be. What was that Emolga's problem?"

"Who knows? I doubt we'll see them again. Let's just have fun tonight instead of worrying about some freaky furry mascot."

We walked more towards the center of the park, which was blocked off by a reception gate. Although there was a line for ticket punching, we got to the front in almost no time. I handed my ticket to Emmet along with my individual payment of 2000 Poké Dollars, and we were allowed access when he paid as well.

"What do you wanna go on first?" I asked.

"Dunno. There's so many possibilities-" Emmet began until he gasped, pulled me close, and pointed at a ride, eyes and face lighting up with awe. "That one! Let's go there!"

"Hmm, wha? The Poké Ball Cups?" I wondered, reading the sign near the ride consisting of cups resembling several different Poké Ball types.

"Yeah! Bruder never wants to go on with me, but now I've got someone to join me!"

"Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt, now would it?"

After the ride stopped and the previous riders got off, the next line were allowed to get on. Because we were among the group of people, we were able to get into the ride area. The Dive Ball and Luxury Ball cups were taken, so Emmet and I had to get in the Heal Ball cup. When our cup was securely shut, all the cups' platforms started to spin. We took turns spinning the wheel so it went in both directions, exclaiming with delight and enjoyment all around. In the midst of our merriment, I saw something spring up from the bushes whenever Emmet passed them. The image wasn't clear at first, but within the shrubs was the eerie Emolga mascot popping up whenever the oblivious and cheerful Subway Boss passed it. Add insult to injury, the Emolga mascot continued to swipe something sharp at Emmet, but thankfully missed.

"Look out!" I warned, shoving Emmet's head down as we passed the Emolga mascot again, picking it back up when we were out of distance. "Phew…"

"What's wrong?" Emmet wondered with a raised brow.

"Nothing, I uhh… you almost hit a branch! Yeah, we wouldn't want that, now would we?"

"Oh, no, we wouldn't! Thanks for the warning!"

Soon, the ride started to slow down. I got really nervous as our Heal Ball-shaped cup car decided to lower its speed near the bush where the Emolga mascot was waiting. Just as they were preparing to raise their sharp object at Emmet again, the ride completely stopped, and everyone started to leave once their car was unchained. In almost the blink of an eye, the Emolga mascot dropped the sharp object and headed for the hills as I got out of the Heal Ball car with Emmet.

"Ah, sehr Spaß!" Emmet chirped as we left the ride area altogether. "We should do that again sometime, Miss Hynden!"

"Umm, maybe another time," I insisted. "Let's take our mind off the Poké Ball Cups and go on… that!"

When I spotted the Mareep-Go-Round ride, Emmet looked in that direction and became instantly enthralled by it. He followed me to the innocent ride, which had almost no line as the riders exited the now-static carousel. We got on the large platform and walked around to find a suitable seat. Most of them stayed true to the ride's name and consisted of themes from the Mareep evolutionary line, but others had Pokémon such as Zebstrika and Rapidash.

"I'll take the Flaaffy," I decided, taking a seat on the horizontally positioned Pokémon. I then stared at the Ampharos version of it and giggled. "I'd bet Merida wouldn't like this ride too much."

Emmet decided to get on a Zebstrika that was positioned to bounce. When we were both fastened, the ride conductor saw that everyone was just about ready. But, just as he started the ride, the Emolga mascot from before grabbed onto a standing pole. I couldn't take Emmet and leave since the ride was already in motion, so I decided to keep a close eye on the highly suspicious Emolga mascot.

"Isn't that the Emolga from earlier?" Emmet wondered as his Zebstrika began moving upwards and downwards in a slow motion.

"It is," I growled, glaring at the mascot. "The one who keeps picking on us."

As the carousel kept going around in its static orbit, the Emolga mascot inched somewhat closer to Emmet. I couldn't see what was going on, but I heard a _SNIP_ and Emmet's safety belt came loose, making him wobble before he held onto the bar. In the next seconds, the crazy Emolga mascot shoved Emmet forward and ran off elsewhere when he started to fall backwards.

"I got you!" I cried, grabbing Emmet's forearm just as he was about to fall off the Zebstrika.

My own safety belt remained intact, so falling off wasn't possible. I gripped the safety bar tightly and yanked Emmet forward in order to position him back onto his plastic Zebstrika. But, I wound up pulling with a force greater than what I anticipated, and forward Emmet went. Unlike the last time we collided, his face landed closer to mine as the front of our bodies made contact like the tips of our noses. The two of us blinked a few times before Emmet pushed himself back onto the Zebstrika and faced forward, his face just as rosy as mine.

"You're alright?" I asked him.

"Y-Yes, thanks, Hynden," Emmet coughed, his smile still stretching at the corners of his mouth.

The Mareep-Go-Round came to a stop, and the few passengers unfastened their safety belts and got off. When Emmet and I walked away from the ride, I looked around to see if that Emolga mascot was anywhere in sight. Although they weren't, I was still extremely wary of the mysterious figure trying to potentially harm Emmet.

"I think that Emolga's out to get me," Emmet breathed wearily. "I don't get it! What did I ever do to them? I don't even know them!"

"Beats me," I said. "They'd better step off if they know what's good for them!"

Despite the exciting and bright rides of Nimbasa Park all around us, Emmet and I decided to take a little break from them over at a small table near others like it. This way, we were sure to avoid the Emolga mascot easier. Both of us were a little winded from the speed of the Poké Ball Cups and the mishap on the Mareep-Go-Round, so a rest was just what the doctor ordered.

"I'm thirsty, you want anything from the Vending Machine?" I asked.

"Hynden, I could just get it myself," Emmet insisted. "You don't need to go through the trouble."

"Emmet, it's literally like five feet from here to the machine," I stated, taking out a Poké Dollar bill marked with a 1000 at both top corners. "Now, what do you want for a drink?"

"If it's alright, I'll just have eine Limonade, bitte," Emmet answered with a smile. "The colas here are way too cold!"

"Okay… I'll be right back."

I went over to the Vending Machine and inserted the bill through the slot. I myself wanted a Fresh Water to rehydrate myself, so I skimmed the machine and raised my finger above the button. Before I could even think to get my drink, the Emolga mascot popped out of nowhere and pressed the button for a Soda Pop.

"Hey!" I exclaimed when the wrong drink rolled down into the drink slot. "I didn't want a Soda Pop!"

There went 300 Poké Dollars down the drain. I tried to angrily tell the Emolga mascot to buzz off, but they weren't moving an inch and stood next to the Vending Machine. Sighing, I went in to press the button for my Fresh Water that would hopefully precede Emmet's Lemonade. Unfortunately, the annoying Emolga pressed the button for another Soda Pop, draining my bill of another 300 Poké Dollars.

Again I moved my hand to order at least one correct drink, and the Emolga beat me to the punch by pressing the Soda Pop button a third time. Because I didn't put that much money in the machine, it only took one more foiled attempt to drain my bill down to 100 Poké Dollars. In the drink slot sat not a Fresh Water or a Lemonade, but three unwanted Soda Pops. I picked all three up and gripped one angrily as I shot an irritated glare at the Emolga mascot, who proceeded to hightail it out of there without any regret.

"Stupid Emolga!" I screamed after it with a snarl, "You wasted my money!"

I pressed the red button on the machine, resulting in four gold coins amounting up to the remaining 100 Poké Dollars to pour out. Not only that, but a fourth Soda Pop unluckily rolled down from the machine. I looked at the cold can with disdain, but made room for it in my arms and walked back over to Emmet.

"What's with all the colas?" he asked with a raised eyebrow as I handed him two. "Were they out of Limonade?"

"Emmet, trust me," I sighed, opening a Soda Pop, "I would have gotten your Lemonade, but some jackass came over and kept pressing the wrong buttons. Now, we're both stuck with the wrong drinks."

"Who was it?"

"The same jackass who's been out to get you and ruin our evening."

"Aaah, that creepy Emolga again?!"

"Bingo."

I took a few more huffy sips from my Soda Pop can, still upset over the Emolga mascot wasting my money like that. When I took my lips from the can, my eyes shifted over to Emmet, who was fiddling with the cold and condensing can in his hand, and flinched when he saw my expression.

"Look, I really would have gotten the Lemonade," I sighed.

"No, it's alright!" Emmet assured me with a smile, "I'll just have to drink the cola instead! I just have to wait for it to warm up a little bit is all! It wasn't a total waste of money, and it was the Emolga's fault anyways!" The slight despondency on my face didn't fade too much, making Emmet's lip quiver with worry and stress. "Aww, please don't be sad, Hynden! I swear it's okay!"

I knew Emmet was trying to cheer me up, so to avoid stressing him any more, I perked up my expression and finished the last of my Soda Pop before getting up and disposing of the empty can. As for my other can, I stashed it away in my handbag for safe-keeping.

After the short break, we decided to give going on rides another try. Since I chose the last ride, I gave Emmet the chance to select the one we were about to go on. Much to my dismay, he pointed to a roller coaster with no hesitation, and the sight of the obnoxiously fast-looking ride made me groan with disdain. I didn't want to just leave Emmet to go on the coaster by himself, so to be fair, I chose to deal with it.

"Let's go," I sighed, walking towards the ride.

We passed a sign that read "Plusle &amp; Minun's Helping Hand Coaster", decorated with pictures of the aforementioned Pokémon holding hands and smiling. Strolling through the empty paths, we reached a rather lengthy line of people awaiting the coaster. Although the line shrank in a course of 15 minutes, it felt like almost an hour to us. By the time a total of 20 minutes passed, Emmet and I were finally close to the five smaller lines for seats on the ride.

"Yay! We're almost on the ride!" Emmet rejoiced. "Are you excited, Hynden?"

"Y-Yeah… totally excited," I said with a dead laugh, looking to my side at the surprising agility and height of the innocently-named attraction.

I couldn't see anything at the five lines due to the height of the anonymous man in front of me. As Emmet and I moved up the steps when the line moved again, the man was finally out of the way when he went to another seat line with his child.

When I got in my line with Emmet at the same time the previous riders finished leaving, we both let out a yelp of surprise when we saw the Emolga mascot again. They were apparently looking straight at us on the other side, waving with one hand as another was hidden behind their back.

"Well, there isn't much they can do on a roller coaster," I sighed, getting into the seat on the right after Emmet took the one on the left.

"Sir, ma'am," a woman in a full-body Pikachu costume said as she approached us, "I'd be more than happy to take your bags while you're on the ride."

"Thanks!" Emmet and I said to her, handing her our respective bags as she placed them in the bin containing other handbags.

The ride attendant fastened the pull-over bars to everyone's bodies. Once we were all strapped in, the PA announcer began speaking. They went over the basic rules for the ride, told everyone to make sure they were strapped in, and to have fun. Just as the ride attendant walked over to the control box, I flinched a bit as Emmet placed the tips of his gloveless fingers on my hand.

"Em, what's wrong?" I asked, surprising myself at the sudden use of a nickname.

"Well, it's called the 'Helping Hand Coaster', isn't it?" Emmet wondered, a light flush coming to his smiling cheeks. "S-So, maybe we should… use our own 'Helping Hand'?"

"Hmm, yeah. I guess you do have a point!" I chuckled, agreeing to the gesture as my hand locked with his.

As I lightly gripped Emmet's rather sweaty palms, I saw the blush in his face become a heavier hue of rose as his smile became more flustered. I could have sworn I heard an angry, yet oddly familiar growl from the sidelines, but it was probably my imagination again as the ride started taking off.

The ride moved along the tracks, making my heart race with anxiety due to the expected speed increase that awaited us all. I realized I was still holding Emmet's hand, the thought causing my own face to turn florid while a smile crept upon my face for some reason. But as the ride started climbing along the ascending slope, I gripped the younger Subway Boss' hand a little tighter from the impending doom of the future fall.

"You're gonna be alright, right, Hynden?" Emmet questioned.

"Y-Yeah! I'm not scared of roller coasters," I assured him as we reached the peak. "I just hate the intense- _SPEEEEEED_!" I screamed as we descended with gusto.

The coaster went in all sorts of directions at an obnoxious speed, my long ponytail flying everywhere. While I screamed with pure terror, Emmet let out screams of adrenaline-tainted excitement. I kept my scarred right eye shut due to my peek-a-bangs flying everywhere, As the roller coaster traveled upwards for another drop, I held onto Emmet's sweaty palms once again while prepared to embrace my fate again. But when the drop came, I suddenly felt Emmet's hand slip away from my fingers and heard his loud scream. I looked over and gasped at the sight of Emmet falling from the roller coaster car, everyone and myself included gasping and screaming in terror at the sight while the roller coaster came to a screeching halt.

"EMMET!" I screamed, fruitlessly reaching my hand out to his falling figure.

What happened next surprised me even more. As I prepared to see Emmet fall to his doom, his form was suddenly engulfed in a bright blue aura as he immediately stopped falling. His own scream of terror stopped when he found himself floating in mid-air within the blue aura, looking around at the ground below him. Emmet was mysteriously moved over to the static coaster car as his seat bar lifted with the same colored aura, planting him back in his seat and fastening him properly.

"Emmet, are you okay?!" I gasped, heart still pounding with worry.

"I think so!" he panted back, still flummoxed from what just happened as the aura faded from him while the ride continued its course. "What a miracle!"

"How did you do that?! You just stopped yourself from falling!"

"That's the thing, I didn't! Something just caught me and pulled me through the air! I wonder if… hmm…"

The thought went unprocessed as the ride picked up speed again and went up one last deathly slope. As we prepared to descend, I clung to Emmet's arm not only to brace myself for the dreaded drop, but also to make sure he stayed in place. Before I shut my eyes as the roller coaster inched closer to its final drop, I noticed Emmet flinched and turned bright red in the face at my touch.

One intense roller coaster drop and a few more minutes of disgusting speeds later, the ride finally came to a stop. Rather than whimpering like some little kid after a doctor's visit, I was instead trembling and shaking from the high speed of the ride while still protectively holding onto Emmet's arm. I realized I was still doing it when everyone was leaving their seats, and quickly released my hold with somewhat rosy and sheepish cheeks.

"That was… fun," I chuckled hesitantly, not entirely genuine about the last word.

"Yep, sure was!" Emmet chirped, helping me out of my seat. "Other than the whole 'free-fall', I liked it! Wanna go again? This time in a different seat?"

"N-No thanks, Emmet. I think I've had enough of this ride. Let's go somewhere else."

I swore I heard another growl of aggravation from my left. But when I looked over, all I saw was the nutty Emolga mascot standing idly with the unfitting smile on its costume head. Then, I looked down at Emmet's coaster seat and saw something that made my eyes go wide. The seat-belt looked as though someone cut it most of the way, and left a small portion to snap apart during the ride. I turned again to the Emolga mascot and caught a glimpse of the pair of scissors they dropped and kicked off the platform to the ground below. That otherwise unnoticed action made me more than sure they tried to attack my date again. I shot them a nasty glare, but I wasn't certain if the Emolga noticed due to its perpetual costume smile.

At the bag box, they actually handed me my bag with ease. But when Emmet went to take his bag back from them, the Emolga mascot snatched it each time he attempted to reclaim the item. Emmet finally managed to grab the bag, but the Emolga wouldn't yield and fought for control of the string satchel.

"Let go!" Emmet pleaded with aggravation, trying to yank the bag from the grasp of the Emolga adversary.

Fed up with the Electric-type bully, I went over and stomped on their foot. The Emolga mascot nearly let out a yelp of pain, but sounds of restraint could be heard from within the costume as they released the bag back to Emmet. As the new riders flowed into the coaster car, Emmet and I took the exit and back onto the park grounds we were.

"Seriously! What is that creep's problem?!" I complained, throwing my arms into the air. "Did you steal his girlfriend or something, Emmet?!"

"I don't think so. I've been on tons of dates before, but none of them've mentioned dating a park employee," Emmet answered. "Let's hope I get back to Ingo in one piece. We've still got an hour and a half left, so we just gotta focus on making the best of it."

"And I'll make sure that punk doesn't try to do you in again. You can count on me, Emmet!"

Emmet smiled at my determination, but I noticed a slight lip purse came to his mouth right after. I asked him what was wrong, only for him to pick his grin back up and insist that all was well. We looked and strolled around the park area at the different attractions. Emmet was about to point to a possible next ride, but the hesitation in his voice and eyes were obvious.

"Maybe we should take another break?" I suggested, holding onto his hand and looking up at him. "Better safe than really sorry."

"O-Okay, Hynden," he agreed, the blush returning to his smile-bent cheeks again. "Anything for you."

I smiled back at him, and seconds later, I found a convenient photo booth with a fake Rotom on top of it. Emmet and I went inside, and I put in a few coins adding up to the needed 200 Poké Dollars. We stared at the red dot in the center and put on our silliest faces. Alongside the next six flashes, we shifted between different grins and expressions until the booth session ended. The set of six photos came rolling out of the slot before I grabbed it and looked at the product as I left the booth with Emmet.

"We look so stupid," I laughed, still staring at the silly faces.

"Yeah, but it's the good kind of stupid," Emmet agreed with a laugh. "Do you wanna keep the pictures?"

"Why don't we split them? That way, I get three, and you get three."

I folded the paper strip back and forth after the third picture and tore it neatly. I handed Emmet a set of three photos, which he looked at with a smile and put away in his pocket while I put mine away. Still winded from the previous mishaps, we found a convenient bench near some shrubs and tall trees and sat down. Our nerves calmed a little after the hectic series of rides we'd just gone on. Looking around, the Emolga mascot was nowhere in sight; only a crowd of moving people traveling about the park.

"This is nice," I breathed, enjoying the scenery of Nimbasa Park and the setting summer sun in the dimming horizon.

"Yeah, but coming here with you has been a lot nicer," Emmet remarked. "I've never been on a date I've actually enjoyed before."

"What do you mean? You told me you've gone on tons of dates before!"

"Certainly. But… all six of them were complete busts. When I didn't get stood up, I got used or abandoned."

"What?! Emmet, that's awful! What kind of inconsiderate girl would just up and do that to someone like you?"

"Well, I wouldn't say 'girl' every time- A-Anyways! Until now, I've never had a successful date in my life. I was starting to wonder if I'd ever get to experience one."

"How come you never gave up? You've been dumped six times."

"If I just up and gave up, then I'd risk never finding someone who honestly liked me. Yeah, I was incredibly hurt with every heartbreak, but I didn't wanna lose my hope in case it comes true one day! Well lo and behold, it did."

My brows creased upward in sympathy at Emmet's tale. I thought it was utterly disgusting that six people would up and ditch him for no reason, especially since he was such a kind man. I also found it very admirable that Emmet kept his chin above the water despite all those times, never giving up hope once. I was yanked from my thoughts when I heard the rustling of bushes, but cleared my suspicion after sifting through them and finding nothing.

"So, I've really been your first successful date?" I asked.

"Yep! And I'd say you're making this the best one, Miss Hynden!" Emmet chirped. "If only Bruder would let his guard down, maybe we could do this more often."

"Pffft, I doubt that'd ever happen. That jerk hates my guts, and vice-versa. Why's he gotta act so bitter and hateful towards everyone for no reason? And would it kill him to crack a smile for once?"

"Wait! Ingo's not so bad if you really know him. And trust me, his smiles are either heartwarming, or sehr schrecklich. And since the former rarely ever happens when it's not just me and him, you're better off seeing his scowl." Emmet's smile fell into a somber semi-frown as he sighed forlornly. "Besides, Bruder has his reasons for being so protective of me, the six failed dates aside. He's been so protective ever since we were younger."

"Why's that? Did something happen in the past?"

"I… I reeeeally don't like talking about all of it. It still haunts me to this very day, and the sight of blood just brings that one night back! I can't… I just can't go through it again! You can't make me! _Please don't make me!_"

When Emmet almost screamed the second repeat, he started clutching his head and his breathing became choppy and shallow. Being someone familiar with panicking from a bad memory, I immediately tried stroking his back lightly and talking in a hushed tone while shushing him softly.

"It's okay, Emmet," I whispered, lips leaned in close to his ear as I let his head rest near my shoulder. "You don't have to talk about it, everything's gonna be fine. Just breathe, and relax."

Emmet gradually started to calm down in unison with steadying his breathing while I soothed him. He released his grip on his head and allowed his hands to rest on his lap. He took one last inhale and released, looking down at me with weary eyes.

"Thank you, Hynden," he said.

"Hey, no problem," I responded. "I've got some pretty icky memories of my own, so I know what you're going through." I opened my gold-and-silver locket so I could look at the blood-speckled Pidgeot baby feather underneath, trying to fight back oncoming tears of regret. "Among others I lost two years ago, I lost my best friend in the whole world when I was six. Her name was Lulu."

"What happened to Lulu? If you don't mind me asking that is."

"Don't worry, I'm fine with it. But I gotta warn ya, it's no whimsical tale."

Taking a deep breath, I placed Lulu's feather back in its rightful case and began explaining to Emmet how everything went down. I told him about how I first met Lulu when I was but a little over a year old, all our times together, and the fateful encounter with the wild Magneton that took my friend away from me for good. After concluding the story, I saw Emmet's face was completely heartbroken, wiping the tears dripping profusely from his eyes as he choked back sobs.

"Emmet," I breathed.

"Tut mir leid," Emmet sniffled, wiping his tears away for the last time. "I'm sorry you had to go through all of that, especially at such a young age! Your Pidgeot… she actually died for you!"

"I know. And to this very day, I can't help but beat myself up for being so reckless. Maybe if I wasn't, Lulu would be okay."

"But she loved you! It wasn't your fault, Hynden! She willingly protected you from that Magneton because she loved you and wanted you to live on!" Emmet reached into his shirt and pulled out a violet fang tied to a necklace string around his neck. "If there's one thing losing Joy has taught me, it's that you shouldn't let a broken heart keep you down forever. The pain will never go away, but that's still no reason to stay sad for the rest of your life."

"Who's Joy? Have you lost a Pokémon before too?"

"Yes. Joy was my first Galvantula, and one of my first two Pokémon. I first caught her as a Joltik when I was younger, and she meant the world to me! I cherished every moment I had with her no matter what, even if Bruder did get really vexed by our antics." His once wistfully vigorous eyes fell back to a somewhat sadder tone, although the smile didn't leave his lips. "But sadly, most Galvantula die after they give birth, so my poor Joy had to leave me behind with an egg sac full of 30 Joltik eggs. When I was by her side through most of it, I promised her I'd take good care of her kids."

"You have 30 Joltiks around? Was it hard to take care of all of them?"

"Well, now I only have nine living with me. Apparently, I was driving myself into the ground trying to raise 30 little Joltiks. Even with Ingo's help, it was still quite a handful! So in the end, he made me give 21 of them to a good home after I wouldn't release them. He said it was a way of letting my grief go, but… also still commemorating Joy? I think that's what he said."

"Wow… you really missed her, didn't you?"

"Of course! There was no way I'd let her down after making such a big promise to her! She meant the world to me, the universe even! You don't just break an oath to someone you make on their deathbed!"

That very sentence only amplified Emmet's staunch devotion to his Pokémon. Not only that, but I had a promise of my own to stay true to Lulu's final words and to protect and love my Pokémon as if they were her. I clasped Emmet's hands gently, causing him to look at me with light pink-tinted cheeks beneath his unique silver sideburns.

"I'd say that's very brave of you, Emmet," I told him. "I really admire people like you. Someone who goes out of their way to stay loyal to their friends no matter what."

"W-Wow, danke!" Emmet squeaked, taking one hand and scratching the back of his head while smiling. "I-I really admire you too, Hynden! You're brave, extremely beautiful and noble, kind-hearted, and… and you never give up no matter what! I just, it's- _ACK! AHACK!_"

"Oh, you're getting so choked up over this," I laughed as my flattered blush returned until I looked back at the coughing and gagging Emmet with a gasp. "Ah! You're actually choking!"

Emmet's scarf was being pulled back until the fabric constricted tightly around his neck. The source was coming from the bush, so I fumbled my hands through and around the shrub until I felt something made of felt. Suddenly, I saw two glowing blue dots from within the trees, and the leather creature released its grip on Emmet's scarf, rendering him coughing and begging for air. Then, I heard the rustling of trees and more shrubs as the creature was sent flying backwards with a yell.

"Weird…" I pondered. "Emmet! Are you okay?!"

"Y-Yeah, I should be," he coughed, taking a few deep breaths until his respiration was back on track. "Did you see what my scarf got snagged on?"

"No, not really. I touched it, but then it just flew into the forest or something."

"Oh. It was probably just a Pidove or something."

"I doubt it. If it were a Pidove, we'd have seen it flapping around. This, this felt leathery, and it was suddenly forced back."

Emmet and I looked through the shrubs again, and the two blue dots suddenly turned gold. The creature passed through every tree and bush towards us until its true form came to light. We both blinked in bewilderment, but Emmet's surprise was more evident than mine.

"Did someone lose a Chandelure?" I wondered as the Ghost-type floated over in between us.

"I can think of one person," Emmet suggested, taking out part of a chocolate bar. "Shaunelle, want some?"

The Chandelure let out a wispy sound of excitement before making the chocolate piece glow pale blue. In seconds, it was burned up into a ghostly violet flame and ceased to exist. Despite this, Chandelure revelled in the apparent taste before its eyes widened in surprise.

"Ah-ha! It is you, Shaunie!" Emmet declared, pointing at Shaunelle. "Ingo sent you, didn't he?" he asked before Shaunelle let out a whispered hush of shame.

"So, you're Ingo's Chandelure, are you?" I asked.

"You know my dear master?" Shaunelle questioned, her accent being identical to Tidus' save for a more delicate tone.

"Unfortunately… What brings you here, Shaunelle? Were you spying on us?"

"Well, dearest Ingo referred to it as being a 'pseudo-sentry'. He told me to keep an eye on Emmet. Funny, you don't seem to be as troublesome as he described you. You're a rather polite woman."

"That figures… Look, your overprotective and overly-salty Trainer didn't need to send you to baby-sit us. The day, for the most part, has been going really well."

"Actually, if it weren't for me, my poor Trainer would have lost the only human he holds closest to his heart. It'd be unfortunate if I had to burn his soul after a nasty roller coaster fall."

"Wait a minute! That was you who saved Emmet?!"

"Of course. Where do you think that Psychic attack came from? The giant Pikachu?"

"Wow, thank you! Though, I've never met a Chandelure that knows Psychic so easily."

"Hynden, what were you saying to my brother's Pokémon?" Emmet asked.

"Emmet, it turns out Shaunelle here saved you from falling from that roller coaster."

"She did?!" Emmet gasped, amazed and thankful. "Well, that does explain why I started floating in the air. Shaunie, thanks so much! Maybe Ingo sending you to spy on me turned out good after all! But, you still gotta go back home, okay? I'll be fine from here. I promise!"

Shaunelle nodded once and dissipated into thin air. I felt the spot she was once in, and nothing made contact with my hand, so I assumed she left already. Checking the bushes again for the mysterious (yet highly suspected) enemy, Emmet and I started walking through the park again. As if on cue, I saw the Emolga mascot trying to creep up behind us while starting to take something out from behind their back. Looking around at the various children and youngsters, I sprung an idea.

"Hey, kids!" I yelled, catching their attention, "It's your favorite, uhh… fun-loving Emolga!"

"SPARKY!" they all screamed with joy, running over to the Emolga mascot excitedly.

Sparky the Emolga was so caught up and distracted by the children that their attempts to escape proved fruitless. They thankfully made no effort to charge through the kids violently (although attempts to escape the youthful crowd were made), so as I ran off with Emmet, they were left behind. We ran until Sparky was out of sight, stopping in front of the central park's second exit.

"I've got a feeling we won't have to deal with Sparky anymore," I assured Emmet.

"Danke Gott," Emmet breathed with relief. "Say, now that he's gone, why don't we go on one more ride?"

"You got any suggestions? I'm through with roller coasters."

"Well, why don't we try out the Rondez-View Ferris Wheel now? It's almost time for me to go home, so I wanna at least get that ride in."

"Okay! Let's hope this time, no Team Plasma-themed surprises happen when I get off."

Looking at my Xtransceiver, the time turned to 7:30 pm. Emmet and I were admitted into one of the Poké Ball-shaped cabins of the Ferris Wheel, and up we went once we were seated behind a fastened door. Our cabin started going around the Ferris Wheel in a slow motion, allowing the two of us to savor the sight of the setting summer sun in the evening sky. Being someone who'd never been this high up and enjoyed the sights, the view was breathtaking beyond all comparison.

"I should have come up here ages ago!" I beamed, "If it weren't for Team Plasma and N, maybe I could have actually enjoyed things like this!"

"Not to mention, I always come on here with someone special to me," Emmet added, looking at me with a genuine smile.

I smiled back at him with rosy cheeks, but quickly looked down at the ground. Although we were high up, I could see everything was okay, and Sparky the Emolga hadn't followed us. Slouching back in my seat next to Emmet, I knew I could finally relax for the duration. Despite that, I snuck in a few glances to make sure we were officially safe. Eventually, I not only grew tired of checking, but I was growing tired overall. Before I knew it, my pewter eyes struggled to stay open, and my head started falling towards Emmet's shoulder as the closest support. In that moment, the soothing motion of the Ferris Wheel made my vision fall black as serenity and fatigue conquered my body.

* * *

I awoke later on, and the once-orange sky was now blackening with an elegant dusk. The ride began to arrive at its steady halt, and I was starting to regain my senses. When I did, I flinched and yelped when I realized I'd fallen asleep on Emmet's shoulder. Yanking my head back from the still-smiling Subway Boss, I turned away from him as a bead of embarrassed sweat rolled down my temple.

"Sorry about that!" I squeaked, "I mean, it's late, so maybe I'm a little tired-"

"Hynden, it's fine," Emmet insisted. "Sure, I was a little startled, but I didn't want to disturb you. You just looked so peaceful and cute, I couldn't bring myself to wake you up!"

"I wouldn't have minded, Emmet. If you just woke me up, I'd have been more ready to leave the ride. What time is it?"

"Hmm, it's… ah, scheiße! It's almost eight! Hynden, we'd better start heading back now!"

When the Ferris Wheel finally stopped for good, Emmet and I left our ride cabin and headed towards Nimbasa Park's main exit. We hurried all the way to the Battle Subway and boarded the Anville Town line. Sometime later, the train stopped at the platform, and off we went into the small community. Arriving at the apartment complex, we made our way inside, rode the elevator up to the fourth floor. Six doors on the right side of the hallway, Emmet and I stopped at the one labelled "Apt. 11" and knocked on the door a few times until the door started to unlock from the inside. Out from it was of course Subway Boss Ingo, who was wearing dark blue jeans and a thin black turtleneck shirt, his messy silver hair bangs as weary-looking as he was.

"Did it go well?" he asked with a gentle tone.

"For the most part-" I was about to say until Ingo glared at me again.

"I was talking to my brother, bengel," he spat. "I only want to hear it from him. Emmet, how did it go?"

"As Hynden was about to say, it was wonderful for the most part!" Emmet chirped, perky. "Sure, there was this nutty Emolga mascot trying to kill me, but I still had fun-"

"Wait! Someone was trying to kill you?!" Ingo gasped before shooting a nasty glance at me. "You didn't have anything to do with this, did you?"

"No, I didn't," I hissed. "In fact, I spent most of the day saving your brother's skin from said Emolga. If it weren't for me, you'd be an only child."

"Correct! So sending Shaunelle to spy on us wasn't necessary!" Emmet added.

Ingo flinched as Emmet had just struck a nerve while blowing his cover. He took out a Poké Ball presumed to belong to his Chandelure, looked at it, and sighed in defeat as shrunk it and put it away. Ingo called his brother back in as he himself went inside after giving me a suspicious and nasty glare. Before Emmet followed his brother inside, he turned to me with a warm expression.

"I had a fun time tonight," he told me, the blush returning to his face.

"So did I," I responded with a smile of my own.

"Perhaps we could do stuff like that again? Maybe before the end of the month?"

"Ah, I don't know. I'm still trying to get the rest of the Unova League badges and defeat the Elite Four and Iris. So, I'm not sure if I'll have time."

"Oh, well… maybe you could at least stop by the Battle Subway for a visit every now and again? I'd love to keep seeing you."

"I'd like that too. If I have time, I'll definitely keep stopping by and challenging you. But when I take my pedestal back, you can count on me coming back!"

"Wunderbar! I'll… see you next time, Hynden. I'm glad you had fun tonight."

I pulled Emmet into a mutual hug of gratitude, but flinched in surprise when he impulsively left a peck kiss on my cheek. When he realized what he did, Emmet quickly turned his head back away from me in an embarrassed manner, I myself darting my eyes away with unsure feelings.

"Tut mir leid," Emmet coughed, "I shouldn't have done that."

"Hey, I don't mind," I insisted. "It wasn't anything horrible. Uhh, good night!"

"Ja, guten nacht! I'll see you soon, Hynden!"

A florid-faced Emmet gave me a wave, and I returned the gesture as I walked away hearing the sound of a closing door behind me. As I made it into the elevator and traveled down to the lobby, my somewhat tired mind kept flashing back to the fun day I had with Emmet. I made a note to find ways to hang out with him again after boarding the Anville Town line back to the night-and-star-lit Nimbasa City.

"I'm gonna call it a night," I sighed, leaving the Battle Subway in favor of the Pokémon Center.

I returned to my Pokémon Center room, changed into a blue tank top and pair of cozy Corsola-print pajama pants. Removing my hat and locket before putting them on the dresser next to my bed, I pulled out the strip of photos from my pants pocket and held them between my thumb and index finger as I got in bed. The mostly happy memory I experienced with Emmet made me smile. Although I felt a weird giddy chest fluttering, I thought nothing of it and put the photos in my bag. Turning off the lamp, I promptly fell into an immediate deep sleep due to the fatigue I'd been fending off all night.

* * *

**Pokémon obtained:** None.

**Badges earned:** 4/8

**Boxed/Unboxed:** None.

* * *

**Author's Note:** German phrase translations:

"deine Gast ist hier" = "your guest is here"

"sehr schön" = "very beautiful"

"danke" = "thank you"

"Hört zu" = "listen"

"bengel" = "brat"

"sehr Spaß" = "so fun"

"eine Limonade, bitte" = "a Lemonade, please"

"sehr schrecklich" = "very terrifying"

"Tut mir leid" = "I'm sorry"

"Danke Gott" = "thank God"

"scheiße" = "shit"

"Wunderbar" = "wonderful"

"Ja, guten nacht" = "yes, good night"

As for the actual Author's Note, this chapter was nice and long. Took a while, but it was worth it. Ingo and Emmet will reappear in the near future, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. When we do, more info will be revealed. So, stay tuned for the Chapter 20, everyone!


	20. The Drawbridge Over Troubled Waters!

**Author's Note: **What's up guys? I'm still in the process of studying for finals, but I'll get a little bit done whenever I can! I'm also working on Poké Ronpa since a lot of you are still waiting for that. All I gotta do is have my drive come back to me, and PR will be finished before I get started on the planned Super Poké Ronpa 2. But, here's the next chapter for Ideals of Darkness 2! There're quite a few surprises and improvisations, so beware! Happy Reading!

* * *

Because of my lingering fatigue from last night's trip to Nimbasa Park, I awoke the following morning at a later time of 11:00 am. Rubbing the slight crust from my eyes, I got dressed in a non-tattered version of my usual summer outfit, put my locket over my neck, and placed my hat on my head. After a quick teeth brush in the bathroom, I put my toiletries away in my bag and slung the strap over my shoulder before leaving the room and locking it.

I went down to the front Pokémon Center desk to return my rented key. I walked myself over to the magazine stand to look for the coveted monthly issue of "Gym Leader BL". I felt giddy when the October issue was present, and the cover told me this month's issue was a love triangle.

"Aww, sweet!" I squealed to myself as I began reading. "Things are already getting good."

Just as I was reading more of my guilty pleasure, I felt a poke on my back. Although the contact was gentle, it felt like a burst of lightning pierced through my nerves as I turned to face a middle-aged man.

"May I ask what you're reading, Miss?" he asked.

"Uhh, umm…" I squeaked, secretly putting the magazine back and grabbing the folded booklet next to it. "The newspaper! Yep, I sure love the… Nimbasa Daily! Yes I do!"

"Oh, okay. Just let me know when you're done reading. I'd like to check our fair city's paper out myself."

"Roger!"

To throw the man off further, I took the newspaper over to a table and pretended to read. But, when I looked at the front page, an article caught my eye. Next to the article titled "Park Employee Fired For Mishap At Park" describing the 32-year old owner of the "Sparky the Emolga" costume being booted from his job was a headline that read "Young Trainer Alive After Lostlorn Burial", and the details got more intense.

"'Yesterday afternoon, a 17-year old male Trainer by the name of Nathaniel James Robinson was found poorly buried at Route 16's Lostlorn Forest'," I read to myself. "'He sustained several injuries, including a blow to the head and many body cuts, and is lucky to be alive. Nate was transferred to the Nimbasa City Medical Center, where he received immediate treatment and is currently resting up.'"

Not only was the article gruesome, but the picture beside it added insult to injury. The "Nathaniel Robinson" in question was the same boy whom Haley told me ditched me instead of going to the Battle Subway. Hundreds of hunches buzzed through my mind, and there was only one way to prove them. Abandoning the newspaper on the table, I ran out of the Pokémon Center and searched through the many bustling buildings until I found the sign pointing to the Nimbasa City Medical Center.

"Excuse me," I said to the woman at the front desk inside the hospital. "I'm looking for a boy named 'Nathaniel Robinson'. He was in the news?"

"Ah, Mr. Robinson's on the… third floor," the woman answered. "The room number is 308, okay?"

I nodded in confirmation and went into the elevator. I pressed the button for the third floor and ascended. With a _DING_ from the machine's door, I left through the open doorway and searched the even number side of the hospital hall for the room number. When I found it, I pushed the knob down and carefully entered. And there he was; lying barely conscious in the bed was Nate, bandages wrapped where his visor should be and all over his dirt-stained arms and torso.

"...Nate?" I whispered, sitting near his bed. "Nate, it's me."

"Mrmm… ahh…" Nate uttered, opening his hazel eyes and turning to me. "...Hynden? Is that you?"

"The one and only. What happened to you?"

"Augh, I can't really remember too much. I just know one minute, I'm training with Dewott and Pansear for our planned Multi-Train visit, and the next, I nearly got killed by some weird kid."

"Do you remember what the kid looked like?"

Nate thought for a minute and shook his head no. "All I know about him is… he told me to stay away from someone, and that someone was 'only his' and they wouldn't ever need me around. Then, he attacked me and hit me in the head with a shovel. And, my memory stops right there."

Nate's slightly vague description was enough to make my mind point towards a very likely candidate. Not only did I angrily realize I'd been cruelly deceived into thinking Nate abandoned me, but I also felt extremely cautious for Nate's safety. I told my friend to get well soon, and that I'd secretly visit him sometime if he was still in the hospital. Suddenly, I heard sirens wailing from outside. I looked out the window and saw they were rushing towards the Battle Subway, making a red flag pop right up in my head.

"I gotta go, Nate!" I yelped, scrambling to the door, "See you soon!"

"Bye, Hynden," he breathed, waving as I left.

I ran past a few patients down the hall. I had no time to wait in the elevator, so I took the stairs instead. I made it to the lobby faster, and hurried out the door. Making a few turns, I arrived in front of the Battle Subway, where seven injured people (both draped in sheets head to toe and exposed) were being carried into ambulances while firemen rushed inside to take care of something.

"What happened?!" I gasped, trying to run in myself.

"Stop! It's not safe in there!" an official cried, grabbing me by the wrist and pulling me back. "There was an accident at the Double Line!"

"The Double Line?! Is everyone alright?!"

"Well, not quite. It was a pretty big accident, so everyone on the train at the time is being taken care of. Now, run along, Miss. We'll take care of this."

I didn't listen and kept trying to get into the Battle Subway, only to be stopped by the officials in every attempt. I eventually called it quits and walked away from the Battle Subway with great worry. As I headed towards the gate to Route 5, I turned my Xtransceiver on and sent a message to Emmet asking if he was alright. I stood tapping my foot anxiously for a few minutes until I got a relieving response. It said "Yeah, but…", so I asked him what he meant and got another message back.

"'Too serious. Accident at Battle Subway. Almost got blown up.'?" I wondered, reading the message aloud. "What the hell happened?"

I passed through the Route 5 entrance gate when the wall TV flashed on. The news anchor started talking about the recent incident, so it caught my attention with a few other people.

"Earlier this morning, an explosion went off in the seventh car of the Battle Subway's Double Line," the anchorperson announced, a firm grip on their papers as it showed the burned ruins of the Double Line train. "The only clue remaining at the crime were small pieces of the presumed bomb chip and a burnt match. The four survivors, Subway Boss Emmet included, were injured, but sadly, the other four Trainers aboard were killed in the blast. More info to follow later."

My eyes were as wide as my gaping mouth at the news report. The very ruins of the Double Line were just as horrifying. I was glad my friend and others survived, but my shock never left me even as I exited the gate to Route 5. Once I crossed the threshold, I snapped from my emotional stupor when I heard a familiar voice call me.

"Hynden! Wait up!" they exclaimed.

"Bianca?" I wondered, turning to face her. "Oh, hey! What's up, Bee?"

"Nothing much. I've been looking all over for-" Bianca stopped speaking as she darted her head around the area in fear.

"What's the matter? Who are you looking for?"

"Well, _you_, but I'm just making sure it's safe. I don't wanna make a certain someone mad by hogging you."

"Bee, Haley's not here. The coast is clear. What do you need me for?"

"This!" Bianca declared, handing me a Hidden Machine. "I thought you could use this since you've probably been running all over Unova. Plus, the Bolt Badge should activate its true power!"

"Fly? Bianca, thanks! I'm sure Rubella'd love to learn this!"

"And another thing. There's something I want you to see. Follow me!"

Bianca walked over to the side of the route. I started to run after her, but she shushed me and told me to keep quiet. When we reached a grove of trees, she carefully pulled back some branches and crawled through a hole with me following behind. We traversed a narrow path of leaves until we reached a secret grotto, where a sleeping Minccino wearing a flower forehead-band lie on a bed of grass.

"You wanted to show me a Minccino?" I whispered.

"No, not the Minccino! The Hidden Grotto it's in!" Bianca corrected quietly. "Sometimes, you might find Pokémon or rare item inside of these things, so I thought it'd help a little!"

"It does, thanks. Is that it, Bee?"

"Yep! Let's go before-"

The sleeping Minccino stirred in its sleep and let out a yawn. Rubbing its eyes and putting on a pair of small, rose-colored hippie shades, it looked around and gave a mellow smile before looking at me and Bianca.

"Yo, what's goin' on here?" it asked in a breathy voice that was somewhat mature. "Where'd you two righteous babes come from?"

"Oh, I think it's trying to talk to us!" Bianca beamed, kneeling down in front of the Minccino and pulling it into a tight hug. "What's your name little Minccino? Do you wanna come home with me?"

"Whoa whoa!" I heard the Minccino object calmly, pushing Bianca away from him. "Babe, you are, like, totally harshin' my mellow here. Gimme a li'l BR, okay?"

"Bianca, cool it with the hug," I told her as she put the Minccino back on its bed. "What's your name, little guy?"

"Ah, the title given to me by my two life-creators was Rudy, but that didn't flow with my mojo. So, I've got the righteous title of 'Ambrosia' now," Rudy told me. "It's a name that truly speaks of our immortality in our many lives, babe. Our physical forms won't last, but the true being within will live on forever, man."

"Groovy," I chuckled. "My name's Hynden, and this is my friend, Bianca."

"Ahh, totally radical names for such radical babes like you two," Rudy complimented. "One's total light, and the other just doesn't care about the man's norm! Just like yours truly!"

"Ooh, he's so cute! Even when you're pretending to talk to him!" Bianca squealed. "I wanna catch him so bad! I'm sure he'd be great to have around the lab!"

"Do you wanna come with us Rud- I mean, _Ambrosia_?" I asked, holding up a Poké Ball.

"Whoa whoa! I ain't goin' in that sphere cage ya got!" Rudy objected. "Besides, if I were to go with one of you rad babes, I'd wanna stay where I'm still a free little Pidove. As in, here, brah."

"Bianca, he said no," I told her, getting a disappointed sigh from my blonde friend.

"Hey, tell the li'l sun mama I said you two are free to come here anytime ya like," Rudy assured. "It's just the way I swing. My old compadre used to keep me in that port-o-prison you got there, but he saw the wrong of his ways and let me outta my cage. He kept visiting me until he gave up his physical form. Man, I'll never forget the true freedom he's taught me…"

"Uhh, he said we can come visit, and that he wants to be free," I summarized for Bianca. "But to make it official, I'll just register you on my team roster."

I tapped a Poké Ball to Rudy's head. After three furious shakes, it clicked shut to confirm the catch. But, I pressed the button in the center, and out the newly-caught Rudy was on his bed again.

"Now you're an official member of Team Hynden," I told him.

"Ah, totally righteous, babe! Come back soon if ya wanna chill with the A-man over here, 'k?"

I nodded once and told Bianca to follow me out of the Hidden Grotto after Rudy started kicking back in his leaf bed. We were both covered in leaves and branches when we were back on Route 5, so we picked them out one by one. Bianca blinked as though she'd just remembered something crucial and faced me while we walked towards the end of the Route.

"Hynden!" she exclaimed, "Was that you I saw on Miss Elesa's fashion show yesterday?"

"Yeah, I did fight her yesterday," I answered. "How come I didn't see you in the crowd?"

"That's because I wasn't! Hello, it was televised, silly! You were literally everywhere, including the recent 'Haute Couture: Unova' issue!"

"Gee, was my showcase really that big? That dress was kinda pretty, now that you mention it."

"Of course it was! Not only did you beat Miss Elesa, but you used to be her boss! Don't you think she'd do something to make you 'dazzle'?"

"Probably. I don't know, yesterday was a big day for me. I mean, with the whole Team Plasma raid on the Battle Subway, then the stressful amusement park date I went on-"

"You were on a date with someone?! Ooh, do tell, Hynnie! Who was the lucky guy?"

"Erm, I wouldn't exactly call it a date!" I insisted, scratching my head as my face got warmer. "But, one of the Subway Bosses took me to Nimbasa Park last night. And before you make any guesses, Ingo the Sourpuss wants nothing to do with me."

"Wait, your date was one of the Subway Bosses?!" Bianca gasped in awe. "Wow, Hynden, you've gotta be the luckiest girl alive! Though, I'm also a bit unsure about them. Aside from word that Subway Boss Emmet's a bit of a flirt, I've also heard pretty scary things about the twins' lives before they became Subway Bosses."

"What kind of things?"

"Hmm, I'm not really sure. They're pretty ridiculous since Ingo and Emmet seem so nice."

All of a sudden, Bianca and I heard a commotion coming from the crowd of people blocking the Driftveil Drawbridge. Pushing through the groups, we saw an Ace Trainer with short blue hair being shoved to the ground in front of his blonde, curly ponytail-haired girlfriend by someone I'd encountered in the past.

The bully was a middle-aged biker with a scruffy beard and a bald head, wearing a black jacket with ripped sleeves and dirty pale blue jeans over brown ankle boots. No matter how many times the Ace Trainer tried getting up, the biker bully just shoved him back down.

"Chad, stop this!" the woman pleaded to the biker, "Pierce and I are happy, so just leave us alone already!"

"Stay outta this, Darlene!" Chad roared in his deep gruff voice, grasping Pierce's face harshly. "I'm just tryin' ta teach this little bitch here not to steal a man's girl!"

"He didn't! Chad, I dumped you for a reason! And this only adds more to it! Leave him alone and get a life already!"

"Shut it! I'm gonna beat the snot outta this runt! Now, hold still, _Pierce_!" Chad taunted, saying Pierce's name mockingly as he raised his fist to the blue-haired guy.

"Someone help, please!" Pierce whimpered, covering his face. "Darlene…!"

With a snarl, I instinctively tossed Eris' Poké Ball at Chad, hitting him directly in the cheek as he dropped Pierce, who scrambled from the ground and went over to Darlene. As my Liepard came to light and snarled at Chad, the mean biker in question found me as the thrower as a dark smile spread across his face.

"Well well well," he laughed, "if it ain't Trainin' Wheels herself! Where's ol' Tabby at, hmm? The li'l sissy ride too much for ya?"

"Shove it, Chad," I snarled, standing beside Eris in front of Pierce and Darlene. "For your information, Moe's fixing Tabitha at his shop. Shouldn't be long now before I've got my ride back. Now, if I were you, I'd leave this couple alone. Unless you want things to get ugly around here."

"Oh-ho, wow! I'm just so fucking _scared_ of a some milk-jugged bitch who took ridin' lessons from my dumb baby bro! Ya really got me there, Hynden!"

"Hey, at least Charles is man enough to not bully his ex-girlfriend's new man because he can't accept being a piece of garbage."

"Oi, Darlene's mine, got it?!" Chad roared, ganging up on me with a monstrous glare. "She left me for some chicken nugget of an Ace Trainer! What's he got that I don't?!"

"Aww, is the wittle baby gonna cwy because a girl doesn't wuv him anymore?" I taunted, pretending to wipe my eyes. "Grow a pair, will ya? No wonder that girl dumped you."

"Why don't you butt out? Darlene had it all when she was with me, and she gave that all up for nothin'!"

"What did I _ever_ have with you?!" Darlene objected, getting close to Chad. "All you did was bitch when I wasn't spending time with you 24/7, and you were too physical when I acted like, you know, a human being instead of your pretty little ragdoll? Oh, let's also not forget how many times you threatened me, humiliated me in public, and ditched me when I actually needed you most! Leaving you was the best thing I ever did; Pierce is fifty times better than you ever were!"

"Shut the fuck up, bitch!" Chad roared, socking Darlene across the face, leaving the entire crowd in shock and horror.

Although Darlene picked herself back up while holding her injured cheek, a livid Pierce finally stepped forward and grabbed Chad by the collar. Chad had a firm grip on Pierce's wrists, but the Ace Trainer wouldn't let go.

"Don't you _ever_ lay a hand on Darlene!" Pierce snapped, "She's my girlfriend, and I'm never gonna let you come anywhere near her!"

"Oh, tough little man, are ya?" Chad taunted, shoving Pierce away from him and getting off his bike while cracking his knuckles. "Why don't we settle this like men? Winner backs off the girl."

"Enough with the fist fights, already!" I complained, standing between them again. "We'll settle this the old fashioned way. You still do Triple Battles, Chad?"

"As if I'd ever stop!" Chad boasted, calling out his Sigilyph, Archen, and Tirtouga.

"You ready Pierce?" I asked him, sending out Michi to stand beside Eris. "Let's take this asshole down!"

"Right! Uhh, Ducklett, come out!"

I was pretty surprised that an Ace Trainer like Pierce had a little Ducklett, and Chad reacted by chortling like the jerk he was. He commanded his Tirtouga to use Ancient Power on Ducklett, only for the fast little critter to fly out of the way before the stone even had a chance.

"Ducklett, use Bubblebeam on Archen!" Pierce commanded.

"Michi, you attack Sigilyph with the same move!" I told her,

The dual Bubblebeam moves struck their Flying-type opponents like several large pellets to the chest. While Ducklett's was super-effective on Archen and defeated it on the first try, Sigilyph only took moderate damage from Michi. Even so, the crowd applauded mine and Pierce's efforts, Bianca's cheering noticeably loud amongst the people.

"Go, Hynden!" she shouted, "Teach this jerk a lesson!"

"Sigilyph, Psybeam!" Chad commanded. "Tirtouga, use Ancient Power on Ducklett!"

As Sigilyph fired a multi-colored beam of psychic energy at Michi and inflicted a critical amount of damage, Tirtouga's Ancient Power attack succeeded in hitting Ducklett and KO'ing it instantly. In retaliation, Pierce sent out his Flaaffy to battle Tirtouga.

"Tirtouga, Aqua Jet!" Chad commanded.

"Michi, stop Tirtouga with Aqua Tail!" I told her. "Eris, you take Sigilyph down with Pursuit!"

Tirtouga doused itself in a torpedo of water and started flying towards Flaaffy with great focus. But as expected, Michi knocked Tirtouga aside with her glowing tail of water. The Aqua Jet kept going at an unstable rate with its caster inside. When Eris attacked Sigilyph with a super-effective Pursuit, the latter Pokémon was defeated when Tirtouga rammed into it before picking up its watery crash course.

"Flaaffy, use Thunder Shock on Tirtouga!" Pierce instructed.

From the Flaaffy's body came a bolt of electricity, which was carefully piloted straight into Tirtouga's Aqua Jet. Due to the conductivity of the water, the move worked fast and down Tirtouga went with a thud. Chad stared at all three of his defeated Pokémon in shock as Pierce and I gave each other high-fives of victory before Darlene went over and kissed her boyfriend proudly on the cheek.

"What now, chump?" I taunted, recalling my team. "A deal's a deal, so beat it."

"Grr… that loss doesn't mean shit!" Chad barked, now furious. "I ain't leaving without Darlene, so that's that!" He went over, shoved Pierce out of the way and grabbed Darlene violently by the arm, ignoring her protests and squirms. "You're comin' back with me, bitch!"

"No! Let me go right now, you abusive dick!" Darlene demanded, still resisting.

Just as I was about to march forward and give Chad a piece of my fist, Pierce beat me to the punch by ripping Darlene away from the biker and knocking him flat on his back. He kept a firm foot on his stomach so Chad would try and get up, and shot him a nasty glare.

"Lemme make it clear," Pierce spat. "I love Darlene, and she loves me. She's my girlfriend and wants _nothing_ to do with you anymore. So if you so much as _look_ at her, I'll beat your ass into the ground, got it?"

Chad squirmed, growled, and glared at Pierce. But no matter how fussy he got, Pierce wouldn't yield for a second. Sighing in defeat, he uttered a "yeah" before Pierce removed his foot with a confident smirk. When Chad got up, he shot a nasty look at me until he noticed Bianca beside me. With an evil grin, he grabbed Bianca by the arm and started dragging her towards one of the water-filled deep sides of the Driftveil Drawbridge.

"Let go of me, you bully!" Bianca cried, squirming.

"No way! If I can't deal with one blonde bitch, then another's gonna suffer instead!" Chad cackled as he got closer to the water.

"Put her down, jackass!" I roared, stomping over to them.

"And whaddya gonna do about it?" Chad taunted while tossing Bianca back and forth, threatening to toss her overboard. "You're just some puny little bitch! I doubt your Pokémon can help ya in time!"

"Hynden, help!" Bianca pleaded as she tried to keep herself from falling over at Chad's forceful tugs.

The more Bianca resisted, the more Chad kept being forceful in trying to shove her into the water. I was positively furious at this idiot hurting my friend in front of me. At the moment, something familiar came over me again. My mind didn't try to fight back, but my vision went burning red with anger as my arm started glowing black again. With the same arm, I grabbed Chad by the neck, forcing him to let go of Bianca so suddenly as he looked at me with horror.

"**Bianca, get out of here,"** I growled, my voice sounding slightly distorted.

"Hynden, what's wrong?" she asked, very worried as she approached me. "Are you alright-"

"_**I SAID GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!**_" I roared, causing Bianca to flee back towards Nimbasa City in a heartbeat.

"H-Hey, man," Chad gulped as my grip on his neck got tighter, "just put me down. I'll get outta here if ya want! Just put me down!"

"**If that's what you want,"** I laughed darkly.

A spontaneous burst of electricity shot out of my gripping hand and through Chad's body, his screams loud and painful as the jolts attacked every nerve in him. When it died down, Chad's breathing grew shallow as he gave the sky a silent limp stare, it being the last thing he saw before I suddenly released him and let him fall into the deep waters below the bridge.

With a _SPLASH _from his landing, my sight returned to normal as the black aura left my arm. I regained my senses and looked all around me, everyone's shock and the memory making me realize what I just did. I looked down at where Chad fell, but I couldn't see anything in the water.

"Dear Arceus…!" I gasped, horrified. "I just, I can't believe I…!"

"Hynden, what did you just do?!" Darlene asked, approaching me. "What happened with your arm?"

Darlene tried getting closer to me, but I suddenly shoved her away, still horrified and shocked at my action. Although no one was exactly giving me contemptuous looks, I still felt like a cornered animal at their eerie stares. Panicking, I ran through everyone and started rushing through the Driftveil Drawbridge. Tears started to leak from my eyes from shame and fear at my past action as I ignored any and all Trainers on the bridge.

"_Damn it all!"_ I cried internally, not looking back at Route 5 as I kept dashing across the bridge, "_Why's it happening again?! I had it under control!"_

* * *

**Pokémon obtained:** Rudy/Ambrosia the Minccino (nicknamed the former in-game), Male, Rash nature, Mischievous.

**Badges earned:** 4/8

**Boxed/Unboxed:** Rudy the Minccino (technically, in-game boxed)

* * *

**Author's Note:** I should note that as a fun-fact, Rudy came from strict and uptight parents, but his first Trainer taught him how to hang loose and "become more with nature". So after that, he took his hippie lifestyle. Anyways, as for Nate, I was originally gonna have him killed off, but I felt like I wasn't quite "done" with him yet for some reason. As for Chad, I didn't wanna make Charles the bully because he's really nice in the anime and reminds me of Marco from Mirai Nikki (not to mention the same voice as Souda in Japanese...). Stay tuned for Chapter 21!


	21. A Reunion Of Unlikely New Leaves!

**Author's Note:** Guess who's back, everyone? That's right, me! I haven't really had any motivation to update this story due to stress, anxiety, school (high school senior year, I may add), and just overall lack of confidence in my Pokémon stories. Nonetheless, I'm sticking to my personal vow of not quitting potential stories because I don't believe in setting deadlines for fanfics. Also, I've been really busy on my AO3 "EternalSailorNeptune_53" with my latest hit!

Plus, it's come to my attention that none of you can stand resident yandere Haley. Well... to be frank, that's been the number one reason I've lost confidence in this story because I know he's bothering you and being annoying. I'm not good at making my characters too likable or relatable, so that's also my fault. BUT! I will make this clear: None of you (bar me bc author) know Haley's full backstory aside from the reason he hates Team Plasma. Which is to say, you don't know the reason he's, well, Gasai Yuno incarnate. _That_ part of his background will be revealed when we reach Humilau City or Lacunosa Town (around that part). I don't expect you to sympathize with him one bit when I reveal that chapter, but it'll at least explain things. Until then, try to be a little more patient with him a little longer for the time being. I can't write yandere characters too well without making them assholes.

(Also note to a certain reader who won't be named and doesn't comment, **please** stop mis-characterizing my characters with idiotic remarks. It's annoying, not funny.)

* * *

I didn't care what Trainers were in my way, I kept barging through them to get to the other side of the Driftveil Drawbridge and rid myself of my shame. The air was starting to have a hard time entering my burning lungs, but I kept pressing through until I reached the end, only a short distance from Driftveil City.

When I stopped at the end, I took some needed breaths and rested my aching legs on a nearby bench. My rest was interrupted by loud shouting coming from the smaller stone bridge next to me, so I investigated while crossing. I nearly gasped when I saw beside a Neo-Team Plasma Grunt was a resisting Plasma Grunt, this one wearing the old white outfits I remembered. However, the white-clad Paleo-Plasma Grunt was surprisingly more peaceful than their black-clad counterpart.

"Come on, little sister!" the Neo-Plasma Grunt offered, "We could rule together like the old days! Isn't that what you want?"

"Isaac, no!" the Paleo-Plasma Grunt rejected with folded hands. "Lord N has showed me the error of my ways. If I were you, I'd come to the good side instead of the horrible things you're doing now."

"Oh, really, Sophie? If you've truly changed, then why does everyone treat you like garbage? No one will ever trust you again as long as you still wear that ugly uniform of our former selves, so come with us and _make_ them respect you!"

"I said no! I don't care if people still don't like us, I refuse to let myself get used by… by him again! I just can't, a-and I won't! Not now, not ever again!"

"And why not? For that king-wannabe pretty boy Nigel? Sophie, you're such a disappointment!" Isaac snapped, storming over and grabbing his sister by the arm. "Just come along and join me! We'll conquer this damn world as brother and sister! Again!"

"No, Isaac! I'm not betraying Lord N! Not even for you!"

"Then I'll have to make you see my point!"

Although I myself had a burning hatred for Team Plasma, the old Plasma Grunt was obviously not on the dark side anymore. Instinctively, I stormed over and pushed Isaac off of Sophie. He gave me a shady look and tried to move back in, but I kept him away by unsheathing Storm's Blade and pointing it towards him.

"Leave her alone," I growled. "She wants nothing to do with you scum anymore!"

"Hey, you're that girl!" Sophie gasped from behind, "The Heroine Of Ideals!"

"That's right…!" Isaac breathed, "You're the one who brought us all to our knees, didn't you?"

"Glad to see you remember," I laughed. "Don't forget I took your leader down after that bastard used his Hydreigon to murder my friend. So, what's stopping me from taking you down again?"

"We'll see if you do that!" Isaac exclaimed, grabbing me by the arm and tossing me to the ground, causing me to drop my katana. Isaac stomped on my stomach, making me cry out in pain while trying to push him off of me. "I oughta just nip things in the bud before you try and take us out again!"

"Get your dirty feet offa Hynden!" we heard a familiar voice scream.

Charging towards us was none other than Haley, who not only had a look of rage in his fiery maroon eyes, but also an egg roll or two stuffed in his mouth. When he scarfed the rest back into his talking hole and swallowed hard, he immediately charged at Isaac and ripping him away from me. As he gripped his neck and pinned Isaac to the bridge beam, Haley's glare only furrowed as Isaac started squirming.

"Alright, start talking. Or, would you rather do things the hard way?"

"Talking about what?"

"Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about! I want Minnie back! Gimme Julia's Purrloin back!"

"What Purrloin are you talkin' about? I'm drawing a blank here, kid."

"No, you're not! Where's the Purrloin you goons took from my sister when you destroyed Goldenrod City!"

"Oh, right! I've heard of that mission. Never went on it, but man did the Goldenrod Grunts boast about it!"

"Ah-ha, so you do know something about it!"

"Or do I? And if I do, then it's none of your business anymore. For all I possibly know, that Purrloin you want back so badly is probably long gone. But, it's not like you'll ever know!"

"You'd better answer me!" Haley roared, now livid as he started squeezing Isaac's neck tighter. "If you don't, I've got ways of squeezing the answer right outta ya!"

The gags and struggled breaths of Isaac weren't unheard, but were blatantly ignored by Haley, who continued to strangle and beat him against the bridge beam. Sophie beat me to the punch by intervening, pounding on Haley's arm desperately.

"Stop it! He's my brother!" she pleaded as my friend was forced to let go, only glaring at Sophie now.

"Hmph, like brother, like sister, I guess!" Haley snapped, violently tugging Sophie by the collar. "Tell me what you know! If you don't answer me, it'll be the last thing you do, toots!"

"I-I don't know about your Purrloin! Honest!" Sophie confessed, "I was supposed to go on that mission to Goldenrod, but things happened and I got taken off the roster! I'm sorry!"

"Sorry doesn't cut it! For all I know, you're probably lying like the Plasma scum you are!"

"I'm not lying! I truly know nothing! Besides, I've turned over a new leaf! Now I only follow what's best for Pokémon under Lord N's guise!"

"Ha! You really think you know what's best? Don't make me fuckin' laugh!" Haley cackled, now holding Sophie by her neck. "I ain't got time for your BS, so spill it! Tell me the truth!"

"I-I am!" Sophie coughed, banging on the bridge beam. "P-Please refrain!"

"Not until you tell me what I wanna know! Better start talkin'; I'd say your clock's ticking fast!"

"Haley, she doesn't know anything!" I told him, trying to loosen his grip on Sophie's neck. "Let her go already!"

"Hynden, you of all people shouldn't be so trusting towards these goons! They've wronged you too!"

"I know that! But this one's genuine! Let her go!" I demanded, socking Haley in the stomach, causing him to let go of Sophie's neck.

The old Plasma Grunt fell to the marble floor, coughing and gasping for breath through her newly-freed windpipe. I went over and helped her up, only to get a shocked and horrified stare from Haley. In the meantime, we all turned around to see Isaac hightailing it out of there, a furious Haley following behind.

"Get your ass back here, Plasma!" Haley roared, bolting after the unfortunate Grunt.

"We hardly knew ye, Grunt guy," I sighed, looking at the shrinking sight with a grim face. "Are you okay, Sophie?"

"Yes, thank you," she panted, catching her breath at last. "That friend of yours, he's quite a… lively one."

"I get that a lot. He usually never hits girls at all, but I guess Team Plasma Grunts are exceptions."

"I don't blame him. We've caused so much grief in the past, so it's only natural your friend would be upset." Sophie blinked a few times before taking my hand and leading me across the bridge. "Follow me, Ideal Heroine. There's something I'd like to show you."

For Sophie to call me by my former title was a little unnerving considering the events that gradually led up to the final fight against Team Plasma. I internally shuddered as she took me by the hand and led me into the city of Driftveil. Looking around, I saw that Driftveil City was no longer a rural and earthen-favoring community. The unfamiliar hotels among other new buildings gave the city a more bustling tone, though less-so in comparison to Nimbasa City before it.

Sophie guided me to a building atop a lush hill towering over a mound of dirt and construction. She let go of me to talk to a familiar old man in fresh maroon and red robes. When the man turned around after the conversation, we both gasped as I took a few steps backwards.

"You!" I exclaimed, pointing at the red Sage.

"Champion Hynden!" he gasped, pointing at me in return. "Our cherished Heroine of Ideals has returned!"

"Yes, Sage Rood, she has returned," Sophie told him. "After two long years, she's come back to us."

"Well, I'm not the Champion anymore-" I was about to say.

"Hynden," Rood interrupted, "it's important that you come inside." He took out one of his two Poké Balls and out came a Herdier, "But first, I must test if your prowess and compassion are still efficient after your disappearance."

"What, you want a battle?"

"Of course. It's your only way into the building, after all. Shall we?"

"We shall!" I agreed, tossing Tidus' Poké Ball so my Servine could battle. "Tidus, use Vine Whip on Herdier!"

"With pleasure, ma'am!" Tidus confirmed, whacking Herdier several times with his vines.

"Herdier, grab the vines and use Take Down!" Rood commanded.

When Tidus went in for another harsh lashing, Herdier bit down onto his vine with its sharp canines. It ripped Tidus forward with one head jerk and slammed my starter Pokémon onto the ground harshly. Then, Herdier pounced on Tidus with all its might, resulting in both Pokémon taking damage.

"Tidus, that's enough," I said, recalling my weary partner. "Eris, Pursuit!"

From the second Eris took form from her Poké Ball, her claws sharpened and dug right into Herdier. Yelling out in pain, Herdier writhed from Eris' frequent Pursuit attacks until it could endure no more. Rood recalled his Normal-type and instead summoned a Swoobat against Eris.

"Don't worry, you got this!" I assured her. "Take it down with another Pursuit!"

"Swoobat, Attract!" Rood commanded.

Eris' eyes widened in shock as pink, hollow heart-shaped beams sprang from Swoobat's equally-shaped tail and surrounded her. Within seconds, Eris was utterly besotted by the Psychic-type.

"Aww, come on! Snap out of it, Eris!" I told her.

"Oh, I can't! He's, he's absolutely gorgeous!" Eris beamed, "Say, my debonair flyer, you wouldn't happen to be rich too, would you?"

All of a sudden, a beam of white light ejected from one of my Poké Balls and out came Percy. When he saw the infatuated Eris drooling over Swoobat, Percy's face became hoarse with rage as he immediately charged at his opponent with Rock Smash. Despite his anger, the move only inflicted minimal damage, even when he alternated with Rock Smash and Force Palm to mitigate his anger.

"What did you do to Eris?!" he roared as Swoobat started to dodge his attacks. "Why is she looking at you like that?!"

Swoobat didn't respond and instead slyly attacked with Heart Stamp, rendering an already worn out Percy unconscious from the move. I recalled Percy and the infatuated Eris to their Poké Balls and sent out Rubella to fight instead.

"Oh, a Swoobat, eh?" Rubella questioned. "Let's see who the better bat is, then!"

"Swoobat, Heart Stamp!" Rood commanded.

"Rubella, dodge and use Confuse Ray!" I shouted.

The heart-shaped center of Swoobat's nose glowed a bright rose until he fired a single shot of the same form at Rubella. She was able to fly out of the way in time and fire a disorienting ball of flashing lights at Swoobat. The orb encircled the heart-bat many times until Swoobat could focus no longer.

"Swoobat, use Air Cutter!" Rood commanded.

Much to Rood's misfortune, Swoobat's confusion was great enough to cause him to miss Rubella entirely. Rubella took the chance and finished Swoobat off with a single Bite attack, releasing him when he was truly unconscious.

While Rood recalled Swoobat, Rubella stood proudly until her body started shining brightly with purple gunk swirling around her again. From beneath the glow, Rubella's wings split into two pairs, her body became much rounder while growing in size, her ears grew, and her feet shrank greatly. After the evolution, I now had my very own Crobat.

"Wow!" Rubella beamed, examining her body with a smile. "To think just yesterday morning, I was a little ol' Zubat! But, now look at me!"

"Maybe when you're fully trained, we'll see if you can beat my dad's Crobat," I said, taking out the Hidden Machine Bianca gave me earlier and the Move Tutor CD Player. "First, let's readjust your moves."

I placed the headphones over Rubella's ears and pressed the "Play" button on the CD Player once Fly was set inside. A few seconds later, the CD stopped and Rubella gave her new attack a go. She bolted into the sky and flew around at a swifter speed, coming back to Earth without getting tired.

"This day just keeps getting better and better!" she laughed with joy. "Ha! Those critics of Trainers _wish_ they caught me back in the sewers!"

"Bravo, Champion Hynden!" Sophie applauded. "That was fantastic teamwork! And look, you've accomplished evolution of your Pokémon with mere friendship!"

"Now, if that isn't perfect camaraderie, I don't know what is," Rood chuckled, opening the door. "Come right in with us."

The three of us entered the building, where several white-clad ex-Plasma Grunts had different hair color and styles, their discarded orange wigs beside them ignored. Another things that caught my attention was that most of the Grunts who weren't sitting idly were caring for different Pokémon. One female in the corner was wrapping a bandage around a Galvantula's injured leg, another playfully tossing a Scraggy up and catching it, a third playing fetch with a Herdier, and so on.

"You guys sure have changed," I breathed, impressed entirely by the sight. "To think you all used to be about treating Pokémon like dirt because of one idiot."

"Caring for these lost Pokémon is the least we could do for foolishly following Ghetsis," Sophie added. "Everyone! Lord N's counterpart has returned to us!"

All of the other ex-Grunts stopped what they were doing and looked up at me. Some flocked around me and uttered incoherent babbles of wonder and awe. I greeted a few back with waves and smiles, but one male Grunt with light chestnut hair and beady hazel eyes approached me from the front with the utmost wonder.

"Champion Hynden!" he proclaimed, kneeling before me and cherishing my hand in both of his as if it were some rare ruby. "I never thought I'd see the day our other savior would return to us!"

"Uhh, yeah, I'm back!" I chuckled, a little sheepish at the scene. "Though, I'm not Champion anymore. When I get the title back, then come see me, alright?"

"But still, you're our one and only heroine!" the Grunt beamed, now kissing my hand several times before standing up and facing me, my hand still clasped between his palms. "You stayed true to your ideals, and they've helped you lead us out of our darkness!"

"Oh, shucks, it wasn't anything! You guys were just tricked by Ghetsis, so I had to snap you out of it somehow!"

Suddenly, I heard a swift _SHP_ sound, much like that of something clicking in place. At the same time, the male Grunt before me gasped and cringed in pain as something sharp pierced through his stomach and barely stopped at me. We both looked down in horror at the crossbow bolt lodged through his stomach, blood staining his very uniform like a runny dye. Then, the shocked murmurs in the room turned to screams of horror when a second and third crossbow bolt was fired at the blacked out Grunt's calf and lower gut. Looking up with shock, I saw the culprit enter, his identity being Haley; his clothes and face splattered with old blood and maroon eyes as dull and dark as they could be.

"You must be damned if you think I'm gonna let some _Plasma bastard_ make a move on Hynden," he hissed, venomous jealousy painfully obvious as he abandoned the black crossbow. "I may have lost Julia's Purrloin and my hometown, but I'm not gonna lose the love of my life to the likes of you either!"

With a dark look in his eyes and a will burning hotter than a Magmortar, Haley was set to pull the crossbow trigger and finish off the languishing Plasma Grunt. But before he could, he was quickly disarmed by Rood, who was rather agile for someone his own age. Rood tossed the crossbow aside, and when Haley had tried to retrieve it, I held him back until he struggled like a stubborn Primeape before surrendering in my grasp.

"Hynden, let go of me!" Haley pleaded, "Team Plasma's gotta pay!"

"Just listen to what Rood has to say first," I told him, not complying. "Take a few deep breaths to calm down."

Haley inhaled and exhaled slowly through his nose a few times as his eyes became gradually less dull than before. I had to run a hand up and down Haley's head a few times, which finally eliminated most of his anger as his breathing became more stable. While I stroked his head, Haley's face was noticeably florid and gentle. However, when he looked at Rood after I stopped, there was still quite some irritation and hatred still lingering.

"Alright, start talkin', Plasma," Haley sighed with a snarl. "You and your lot have been on my bad side since before I even _came_ to Unova, so make it good!"

"Shouldn't we first start with introductions?" Rood suggested. "It is proper for a first meeting."

"Fine. The name's Haley O'Malley. AKA, the kid whose life you screwed over in the long run when your stupid organization destroyed Goldenrod and traumatized my precious little sister! Ring any bells to ya?"

"No, I'm afraid it doesn't, young Haley," Rood said sympathetically. "However, I must say I am deeply sorry for any trouble we have caused you."

At those words, Haley's body twitched with utter shock and disgust. Although his eyes remained a vivid burgundy, they did however furrow downwards as a great fury raged within my troubled friend.

"You're… sorry?" he growled, "You're _SORRY_?! In case you haven't noticed, 'sorry' will **never** cut what you guys did to me and Julia!" Tears started to leak from Haley's livid eyes as his speech became more choked up while speaking. "Is 'sorry' going to make me forget what you did to the place I once called my home? Will 'my bad' ever bring a smile back to my sister's face after those Grunts of yours stole her best friend from her?! Do you honestly think 'my deep apologies' is gonna make me or my mother forget the life you stole from one of our Pokémon?! NO! _NO, IT WON'T_! You can give me all your cop-out apologies all you want; I'm not gonna forgive what you did, and I never will!"

Haley stood right up in tears and started storming out of the building. I tried going over to console his distress, but when my palm made contact with his red-and-white jacket, he turned to me with tearful eyes that were trying desperately to blink away the salty drops.

"When I get that Purrloin back, they'll _really_ be sorry," Haley breathed with bitterness when he spoke to me. "Make no mistake about that, Hynden…!"

With all of that being said, Haley left me behind for once and slammed the door behind him. While some of the reformed Grunts couldn't comprehend Haley's resentment in the slightest, only reacting with disgusted remarks at his insolence and lack of manners, others like Rood were rather somber about it.

"It appears that friend of yours is among those who suffer because of our foolish misdeeds," Rood pointed out. "Oh, how terrible we feel."

"You guys really have changed since last time," I remarked. "Also, you'll have to excuse my friend's rude outburst. He's been having it pretty rough lately. Is that Grunt okay?"

"The bleeding at least stopped," a female Grunt said, "but if we don't take him to a hospital, he's not gonna make it."

A few former Grunts hastily moved the languishing Grunt out the door, a safe assumption of them being on their way to a nearby hospital mentally made. When I started making the decision to leave myself after all the trouble that happened, I was suddenly approached by two women I recognized from a couple years back. The one on the right's unique blonde hair beside her sister's rose quartz-colored hair pointed to only two people.

"Anthea and Concordia?" I wondered.

"So you do remember us," Anthea realized. "Two years hasn't altered the memory of our greatest Heroine Of Ideals."

"No, it hasn't. What's happened since I took my hiatus?"

"As you know, our former organization has disbanded and taken a turn for the better," Concordia answered with a smile.

"Well… half of our organization," Anthea sighed, correcting her sister. "Only those in white uniforms have been reformed. Some of us just couldn't handle being without Ghetsis' leadership and tyrannical guidance."

"And those would be the ones in the darker uniforms?" I asked.

"Correct," Anthea and Concordia responded at the same time.

"Oh, I gotta ask: What happened to your brother? He said he'd come back when I did."

"We cannot say," Anthea and Concordia said with melancholy and sullen eyes. "But we're certain our Lord N is doing well in his travels." Concordia then spoke alone to me. "Heroine Hynden, it's advisable that you do the same. There is still much to be done, I fear."

"What more can I do? I already whooped Ghetsis and sent him heading for the hills. There's no way he'd just come back! ...Right?"

All the two sisters did was sigh and look down as if something worried them from the inside out. I couldn't do anything but nod yes, saying goodbye to Anthea and Concordia along with the rest of the reformed ex-Plasma members. I left the building after setting my mind back on my future Quake Badge, heading down to where the Pokémon Center was to heal my Pokémon.

Minutes later, I thanked the Driftveil Nurse Joy and left the Pokémon Center in favor of Clay's Gym. I remembered where my destination was and went that way, passing by the new architectural structures built during my absence to see the Gym was exactly where it was before. However, I was surprised when I finished walking up the hill and saw Haley in front of the doors. This time, the only thing my friend was paying attention to was his Xtransceiver, looking distressed and panicked from before as his conversation started. Popping up on the screen when I got close enough to watch was none other than Julia, whose sullen face turned happy when the six-year old saw her brother's face.

"Hi, Haley!" Julia greeted with a wave. "I miss you so much!"

"Miss ya too, Jules," Haley chuckled with an empty laugh of guilt. "How are things at home?"

"They're okay, I guess. Mommy and Daddy aren't doing bad. But… did you find Minnie? I gotta know, big brother."

"...No, little sis, I haven't yet." The disappointed look in Julia's teal eyes made Haley's maroon ones morose, his eyes putting on a confident mask for his sister. "But don't worry! Your cool big bro's gonna get your best friend back ASAP! I ain't comin' back without 'er!"

"Haley, you shouldn't say that! I want Minnie back, but if you never came home, I'd be so sad!"

"That's why we're both gonna come back. Because there's no way I'd let those Plasma bastards keep your friend captive! Julia, keep leavin' it to me, 'k?"

"O-Okay, Haley! I know you can do it! Be careful out there when you're looking for Minnie, okay?"

"Cross my heart and hope to… uhh, got it!" Haley made an air cross with his thumb and gave his sister a salute. "Tell Mom and Pop I said 'hi' and I'm alright, okay, kiddo?"

"You got it! See you later, Haley! I love you!"

Haley ended the call with a sincere "Love you too, Jules" and a smiling wave. Once his watch screen turned black in a click, his face fell as he dug both hands through his spiny raven hair. I noticed he was shaking when a hand moved to cover his mouth, tears threatening to fall from his eyes while he trembled. I could hear shallow breaths being taken in and out of his covered mouth, only getting slightly more audible when he finally moved his hand.

"If I don't return home with that Purrloin, Julia's gonna hate me, I just know it!" Haley breathed with anxiety. "I've gotta get Minnie back, or I'll definitely die trying! A good big brother doesn't fail, and a good one also doesn't want his sister to hate his guts for the rest of her life-"

"-Haley?" I called out to him. "You don't look so good."

"Hynden!" Haley squeaked, suddenly standing upright with a roseate face over saddened eyes when he saw me. "Hiya! Don't you have a Gym Leader's butt ta kick or something?"

"Yeah, I do. But then I saw my best friend starting to have a nervous breakdown where I'm supposed to be. Is everything okay?"

"I… I've been better, Hynnie. Err, that doesn't mean I'm not the same confident Haley O'Malley you've been best friends with since Trainer's School! Nothing in this world's ever gonna get me down!"

"Are you… sure, Haley? Because after past and recent events, you don't seem to be completely truthful. Especially after your little mishap back at that reformed Plasma house."

"Hynden, never put 'reformed' and 'Plasma' in the same sentence. That'll never really happen." I saw Haley was starting to get angry again, as evident by his creasing and burning eyes. "They can go and pretend to be the good guys all they want, but I know it's all just bullshit! You know how badly they ruined me! Urgh, just thinkin' about it makes me wanna-"

"Haley, Haley, cool down. I promise you'll finally make peace with your whole 'Plasma issues' and take them out for good. And as long as I'm with you, you've got nothing to be scared of!"

"You always say that, Hynden. There's never a moment where I don't believe you, but I…"

Thinking of no other option, I leaned forward and hugged Haley, to which he flinched upon feeling startled. I felt the little thumps in his chest pick up the pace, though my friend's face remained sullen and guilty. Haley hugged me back and buried his face in my shoulder, shaking with anxiety even as I ran a hand down his back in comfort.

"I never did deserve someone like you, Hynden," Haley breathed with melancholy. "Even back then, you've always been my one friend and rock. And I… I just can't thank you enough for caring about me so much."

"We're friends for a reason, Haley. I only wanna help you get better," I told him, slapping a confident hand on my bicep and smiling. "As long as I'm around, nothing's gonna get you down!"

"Heh, now doesn't that sound familiar…?" Haley's smile started to come back alongside a roseate face, his hand making its way behind his spiny black hair. "For only your sake and Julia's, I'm gonna keep trying to get my mission done! Speaking of 'missions', doesn't a certain future Champion have another Gym Badge to get?"

"Oh yeah, almost forgot! I'd better get going, shouldn't I? I'll see you a lot later, Hales. Right now, I've got another victory to claim!"

"Best wishes, Hynden! I love you- uhh! Well, y'know, good luck!"

I sighed at Haley's interrupted words, now confirming he hadn't quite gotten over everything from the past like I recalled him promising. Before heading towards the Gym entrance, I noticed Haley walking off with a hand on his heart, yet another digging through locks of night black out of anxious embarrassment. I let my friend be, anticipation and determination filling me from thoughts of winning against Clay for a second time.

_"That Quake Badge is as good as mine!"_ I gloated internally, bursting through the door to the lobby. _"Nothing's gonna stop me from winning like before! I just know it!"_

* * *

**Pokémon obtained:** None.

**Badges earned: **4/8

**Boxed/Unboxed: **None.

* * *

**Author's Note:** The next one's gonna take a while to release due to me having not fought Clay in-game yet, but this chapter was supposed to let you all know the story will be finished. Also, I've lost touch with characterization, so I need to get back on track with that too. So, I hope those of you still around liked this update! Stay tuned for Chapter 22!


	22. Crisis From A Grounded Battle! (VS Clay)

**Author's Note:** Howdy, everyone! I actually got one more review and follow on this story, so that's kinda what encouraged me to keep going! I love seeing comments (unless you're that piece of crap flamer troll who goes around leaving mean comments on everyone's stories) no matter what, so keep 'em rolling and I'll keep with the updates! And I'm a little further in the game, so I can write what happened. This one's just the Gym fight, but if you're loving this story, by all means tell me! Never be afraid to comment, you beautiful people!

* * *

The Gym's lobby didn't look too different, so I went ahead and proceeded to the elevator platform to go downwards. But when I did, things had indeed changed from the last time I fought Clay. Instead of the layers on layers of platforms, I found myself passing through some sort of tunnel, my vision disappearing altogether when I saw nothing but black after.

No matter how hard I squinted my eyes, only a minute circle of light would help me. I got on my knees and felt around for anything, falling forward on my stomach whilst supported by my busty front. Suddenly, I moved swiftly to the front on some sort of conveyor path until I landed on another platform. When I stood back on my feet, the circular light flashed and allowed me to look at my surroundings. I stumbled forward disoriented until a Gym worker stopped me while holding a Poké Ball in his hand.

"If you wanna fight Clay, you're gonna have to get through me first!" he declared, sending out his Baltoy.

"Well, since you asked so nicely!" I cackled, calling out my Liepard. "Eris, Pursuit!"

Baltoy tried in vain to dodge Eris' attack when she sharpened her claws. Due to the move's high speed, my Liepard pounced upon the Psychic-type as if it were mere prey. In the blink of an eye, Eris slashed her foe until Baltoy until the poor thing could fight no longer. Panicking, the Gym worker withdrew his Pokémon and told me which way to continue.

I went to the platform on my right, then traveled to the one below it. Going to the right again, I felt my body being carried through the darkness until it stopped on a platform where yet another Gym worker was. As quickly as I got close to the edge of the purple-rimmed escalator, the Driftveil mining worker stopped me Poké Ball in hand.

"Gym's a little tricky, isn't it?" he asked, sending out his Drilbur for the fight. "Don't worry, I should be the last one before you find my boss!"

"You'd better be right," I sighed discontentedly at the thought of having to go through more dark traps. "Michi, come out!"

Out came my Azumarill, giddy and as ready to win as I was. Drilbur attacked first with a hefty Slash attack, itself running forward and slashing its claws out at Michi to inflict moderate damage. Thankfully, it wasn't anything she couldn't shake off, so she merely rubbed her mid-abdominal region where Drilbur had attacked her.

"Michi, use Water Gun!" I instructed.

Sucking in air through her lips, my Azumarill pushed out a torrent of water from her cheeks. The attack hit Drilbur directly in the face, the Ground-type growing weaker as more water struck it down. When Michi's attack finally stopped, Drilbur had grown too weak from the move's power and collapsed to the ground, never to move for the rest of its turn. Its Trainer recalled it back, their next Pokémon being a Sandile. Due to the lack of adequate speed in the little creature, Michi was able to dodge its Bite attack easily.

"Michi, attack using Aqua Tail!" I commanded.

Michi's tail glowed a bright shade of cyan, quickly surrounded by clear liquid armor. She jumped up high above the Sandile, lowering herself down tail-first as she struck the Sandile to the ground. Combined with the force of the move, Sandile fainted and was sent back to its Poké Ball.

"Argh, something tells me you won't have such a tough time with Clay," the worker commented, switching Sandile's Poké Ball for the last one. "Okay, Baltoy! You're my last chance!"

"Take a short break, Michi," I said to my Azumarill and throwing a different one. "Eris, you know what to do! Give 'em a nice Pursuit!"

"Baltoy, try and dodge it!" the worker ordered.

Unfortunately for Baltoy and its Trainer, Eris' attack prevented any sort of absconding on her foe's part. Baltoy ran around fast, but my Liepard was much faster in her chase and pounced the little doll-like creature with sharpened claws. A few slashes of darkness in, and Baltoy fell in defeat. Sighing, the Gym worker sent Baltoy to its Poké Ball and accepted their loss.

"I think you'll be fine against the boss," they commented, pointing to the large escalator leading to where I needed to go. "Good luck, ma'am."

"Don't worry, my skills will be plenty!" I boasted, recalling Eris and stepping downwards onto the escalator.

I was carried downwards and up until I landed feet-first on a firm platform. I wasn't sure which way to go from there, so I merely trusted my instincts and kept walking forward to wherever my path would take me. Eventually, I landed on yet another platform and decided to feel around for a different path. My hand made contact with another escalator, only to fall over and have my entire body be carried uncomfortably to the right.

I landed on yet another platform in the limited light, able to see better with my options. I noticed another purple conveyor, so I took that path in hopes of cutting to the chase faster. Down and up was I taken in a swift swoop, the only option left from there being an ordinary escalator. I was carried to the right and spotted another escalator with a purple rim. I stepped on it, feeling my body go downwards and up until I was face-to-face with Clay in the spare light. Clay himself hadn't changed a bit from the last time we met from his clothes to his stubbornly grumpy expression. When he saw me, that expression retained its natural wrinkle-pinned pout despite his noticeably hearty smile.

"Well, ah'll be!" Clay bellowed, his eyes appearing creased due to the hat despite his refuting expression. "If it ain't ol' Hynd'n! Y'all keepin' up with yer trainin'?"

"Howdy, Clay," I greeted in a fake Southern accent while tipping my cap once until I spoke again. "Yep, I'm back and stronger than ever! You'd better believe I'm gonna claim the League again, 'partner'!"

"Y'all may wanna work on gettin' mah accent raght first…" Clay's face showed noticeable disdain as he took out his first Poké Ball with prepared fire in his eyes. "ALRAGHT! NO FOOLIN' AROUND, MISSY! If yer skills're really as bumped up as y'all're claimin', let's see how ya do against Krokorok!"

"Percy, you're up! Show this gator who's boss!" I called, tossing Percy's Ball upwards until his light came forth from the open orb. "Force Palm!"

"Krokorok, use Bulldoze ta counter it!" Clay commanded.

Percy was thankfully fast enough to grab Krokorok and fling it aside while inflicting critical damage. While Krokorok was on the ground, the tip of its tail started emitting a bright circle, the Pokémon itself lowering its tail down into the ground until a loud rumbling came from it. The force was so strong that it created a wave of rubble and dirt which went hurdling towards Percy, knocking him flat onto his back in a weakened state.

"Krokorok, finish with yer Sand Tomb attack!" Clay yelled.

Krokorok slammed its tail into the ground again, this time creating four large clumps of earth that slammed downwards onto Percy. Just like that, my Lucario was buried and defeated. Greatly worried about his condition getting worse, I called Percy back to his Ball with a sigh.

"No wonder Steel's such a horrible type," I remarked with disgust, exchanging Percy for someone else. "Okay, Tidus! Let's roll!"

In a single flash, my Servine was ready to fight, his tiny little arms at his side while his sharp brown eyes looked on without stress. I told him to give Krokorok a good Vine Whip attack after Clay told his Pokémon to use Crunch. When Krokorok moved forward with darkened teeth, Tidus fended him off with his vines by separating its jaw and preventing any sort of bite. Finally, Tidus was able to wrap his vines around Krokorok, swirl it around in the air a few times, and slam it into the ground once or twice until his foe was no longer conscious.

"Okay, now for the real fight," Tidus said in his typical English accent with his arms folded as his vines withdrew.

"Tidus, that was the fight," I chuckled.

"Are you sure, Hynden? Well in that case, this Gym's more of a warm up for the League."

"Someone's cocky today. Just be on your guard for the final Pokémon."

"Wahse words to yer Pokémon," Clay said, returning his Krokorok and taking out his last Poké Ball. "But let's see how y'all do against mah strongest. Excadrill, saddle up!"

From the moment the final Pokémon took the stage, I took one look at it and felt chills and shudders creep up my body. I blinked once and swore I saw tints of crimson around me, but my vision went back to normal almost as fast. I unconsciously gripped both arms and forced myself to breathe normally despite being close to a type like Excadrill. Gulping and starting to sweat, I regained focus and gave Tidus the next command.

"T-Tidus! Hurry up and use Leaf Tornado!"

Tidus got onto the top of his head and started to spin around, giving life to a flurried swirl of leaves. The Leaf Tornado grew in size, sharp leaves zipping past Excadrill and scratching it deep. Weakened, Excadrill picked itself straight onto its feet and raised its large claws as high as its stubby arm would take it.

"Excadrill, Metal Claw!" Clay shouted, much to my horror.

The Ground-type's claws shone in the dim lighting before glowing brighter, Excadrill dashing forwards at Tidus and slashing him right across the chest. My Servine let out a yell of pain from his wound, lying on the ground in a twitch for a moment while slowly making attempts to get up. When Excadrill repeated the attack to inflict more critical damage, my heart pounded with fear, such a move incensing my hysteria as my vision furiously alternated between normal and crimson. There was a slight dark aura surrounding my body, threatening to get stronger and overtake my being altogether. With a few deep breaths and forcing words of encouragement, I beat the darkness and away the aura slowly faded with my altered vision.

"O-Okay… Tidus! Finish with Vine Whip!" I commanded, spraying my beloved Pokémon with a single Hyper Potion.

Tidus extended his vines, wrapping them tightly around Excadrill and denying it escape. He used Excadrill's trapped form to pick himself up, simultaneously lifting it off the ground and slamming it right back. Then, Tidus picked the weakened Excadrill up before swinging it around in the air, tossing it way across the floor and awaiting its next move. Much to my relief and joy, Excadrill's attempt to get up failed, the abhorred Pokémon collapsing and having no energy left to battle any longer.

"Piece of cake," Tidus said, keeping one Vine Whip out towards my open palm.

"YES! Nice work, Tidus!" I cheered, giving Tidus a well-deserved high-five as hand and vine met quickly.

"Two years'a trainin' really did pay off for ya, didn't it?" Clay remarked, unveiling the reward and tossing it my way into my hand. "Hynd'n, ah'm happy ta say that once again, y'all've earned mah Quake Badge!"

The Quake Badge fell into my hand, and I took out the proper case to insert it into its rightful slot following the Bolt Badge. Closing my trusty Badge Case, I grinned joyfully and gripped it tight between my hands. While holding onto my evidence of victory, I gave Tidus a hug for a job well done, to which he didn't react to much but a satisfied nod.

"Hynd'n," Clay said, getting my attention. "There's also somethin' ah gotta show ya! Ah think y'all're gonna like it very much!"

"Will I? What is it?"

"Ah ain't gonna give away the surprahse! Th' heck's wrong with ya?! Just follow me an' come see."

Clay recalled his fallen Excadrill to its Poké Ball, then pressing a button on the orange elevator machine next to us. Up the platform went to the surface, where we found ourselves in the Gym's lobby. In a few steps, we finally left the Driftveil City Gym and met up with Haley, who'd presumably came back to wait for me. When I showed him the Quake Badge inside my Case, he immediately ran over and hugged me with joy as I wound up spinning him around for a few seconds due to his weight.

"Look at you on your way to becoming Champion again!" Haley cheered, looking at me while still hugging my body. "I never doubted ya for a second, Hynden! You've got some strong skills, and friends, with you!"

"Thanks, Haley! Only three more until the Elite Four!" I added.

"So, you two youngins know each other?" Clay asked, approaching us as I finally got Haley to let go.

"That's right, sir!" Haley corroborated, holding his hand out for Clay to shake. "The name's Haley. Hynden and I go waaay back! I take it you're the Gym Leader?"

"Y'all got that raght! Ah'm Clay!" Clay introduced loudly, shaking Haley's hand until my friend let go after a second or two. "Did y'all wanna challenge me, Haley?"

"No, sir. Gym battles aren't really my thing. Instead, I'm on a mission!"

"What kinda mission?"

"My friend here wants to track down the new Team Plasma and get back his sister's Purrloin," I said before Haley could, seeing how angry and tense he was getting just by hearing the organization's name.

"And when I find the bastards responsible… they're SO gonna get it!" Haley roared, clenching his fist tight. "Arceus, it's unbelievable how much they make my stomach turn! How much grief they've caused me and my family! It's just- _ARGH_!"

"Sounds like y'all still have some beef with them Plasma folk," Clay noted, scratching his chin. "Even when most of 'em have turned over a new leaf."

"Ha! Mr. Clay, sir, don't tell me you actually believe that BS! Lemme tell you something: People may act like they're all 'buddy-buddy' and good now, but it's all a hoax! Dirty killers and pillagers like Team Plasma are all the same! No exceptions!"

"Haley, y'all can't just live the rest 'a yer life thinkin' all that, can ya? It ain't impossible for even the most unlikely 'a folks ta change. Y'all never know who can turn o'er a new leaf, y'know! Ah mean, don't ya think even the worst person's able ta change if they just trah?"

"Yeah right. You'd have to be numb in the brain to actually buy all those lies! I dunno who told you all of that, but they obviously don't know what they're talking about! If you're a bad person once, you're gonna keep being a bad person and die a bad person!"

"Haley, that's not true," I refuted. "Clay's right; even the most unlikely of people can change. Would a group who was gonna die bad take in homeless Pokémon and make an effort to start over after all the horrible stuff they've done?"

"An' if ya keep thinkin' the way ya do now, ah can guarantee yer not gonna go down such a good road, pardner," Clay added. "Maybe if ya start seein' different pictures besides yer own, you'll finally get it."

"G-Get real! If I don't trust my instincts, all it's gonna get me is a world of pain and misery!" Haley clenched his fists, his eyes shaking as if trying to fight back oncoming tears. "There isn't a single person in this world who cares enough to actually make themselves better after screwin' up so much! And if you ask me, those Plasma bastards are prime examples! You two can fall for their little 'goody-two-shoes' rehab schtick, but I'm not stupid! I see things for what they really are!"

"Do you actually see things for real, Haley?" I asked him with a raised brow and folded arms. "Because you seem to have a hard time listening to Clay. And since I agree with him completely, I figured you'd have enough sense to see reason."

"Hynden, never forget that I wouldn't dream of doubting you for anything. But! I also wouldn't dream of actually giving into an obvious ruse! I mean, come on! What reason do I have for conforming with a bunch of self-righteous terrorists?!"

"Look, Team Plasma's a bad lot. I know that almost as much as you do, but-"

"-If you really knew it as much as I do, then why aren't you seeing the truth? What the heck is it with you and sticking to what you _think_ should happen or is right?!"

I opened my mouth, but had nothing to say to Haley. He looked right at me, blinking and gasping quietly before giving me a few repetitive apologies and a bow of his torso with sincerely remorseful eyes. In the mix, he said something about "not speaking out of line ever again" in regards to me. I told him to stop saying he was sorry for no apparent reason right before Clay gathered our attention. He got us to look in the direction he was pointing, exactly south of Driftveil City where I remembered was the location of the Cold Storage.

"Ah want y'all ta follow me that 'a ways," Clay instructed. "I've got somethin' ya both might like. 'Specially you, Hynd'n."

"Really now? Is it good?" I asked, somewhat excited for my surprise.

"Trust me, y'all're gonna like it. Yer parents didn't help with it a couple years back fer nothin'!"

"Oh! It's the surprised they've mentioned? What are we waiting for, then? Let's go go go, baby!"

Fired up beyond all comprehension, I ran to the southern direction where Clay said the surprise was. Before I passed the Pokémon Center, however, I remembered how exhausted my team must have been from the battle. I told Clay and Haley to wait for a bit, going inside the red-roofed building for the sake of my teammates.

* * *

In the Center, I handed my Poké Balls over to Nurse Joy, who took them to the machine and healed my team. After a few short seconds, I got my friends back, letting them all out for some fresh air before I even thought about going out. Most of my team were already well-rested, while the ones who participated in the Gym battle couldn't have felt better.

"I suppose even Ground-types can be a little too much for me," Percy admitted, stretching his arms and legs out.

"Well, that's what happens when you're part Steel, Perce," I told him, disdained from the typical outcome. "If only Lucario were just Fighting, nothing would have happened."

"Whatever do you have against Steel-types, Hynden?" Eris asked me in a curious tone.

"I… I can't exactly say it in front of one right now," I answered, looking at Percy and forcing back slight resent from bad memories to avoid upsetting him. "Just know they're, umm… something bad has happened with one back home."

"Bad enough to make you resent them?" Percy wondered, "Do you hold something against me as well, Hynden?"

"No no! Perce, you're my friend!" I insisted, not feeling entirely honest with myself. "I mean, it's just-"

"-Well, whatever it may be, you must be more mindful next time, dear Perseus," Eris warned, nuzzling her face against Percy's side. "Ground and Steel aren't the best battle combinations if you're the disadvantaged type. Strong as you may be, you could have been seriously wounded."

"Err, uhh, that's right!" Percy squeaked, furry cheeks flashing warm from Eris' nuzzles. "I'll be more careful next time for your sake, Eris. I apologize for being reckless."

"To think it was only a little while ago you guys were trying to rip each other's heads off," I chuckled, looking at the scene while noticing Leon glaring at both.

"Hey, Lady Eris!" Leon called, splitting up Percy and Eris. "Aren't I as good as he is? Tell me I am, right?!"

"Yes, Leon, you're quite a splendid fighter," Eris giggled, putting a paw to her muzzle before turning to Percy with affection. "However, allow me to give Percy his well-deserved praise for fighting Clay."

"Exactly." Percy shot daggers back at Leon, the only difference being my Lucario had a confident smirk for once. "I did something to earn Eris' praise, unlike a certain lazy Arcanine."

"Lazy?! Why you little-!" Leon snarled at Percy, who turned away with indifference while giving Eris his attention. "Raugh, Hynden, do something! I wanna be praised too! I'm a good boy, remember?"

"Of course, boy!" I agreed, thinking of an answer. "Though, if you wanna do something praiseworthy, then hear me out. You're a big strong Arcanine now, aren't you?"

"Yeah, yeah! I'm big and strong! What about it?"

"Well, my bike is still being fixed up, so… if the walks get a little long, you wanna be the one to-"

"-I'll do it! You want a ride, then I'll be your guy! Besides, you're pretty small compared to me, anyways!"

_"Wow, that was easy…"_ I thought before speaking to Leon again, scratching his cheeks as he reacted with a swift tail wag. "Thanks, boy! You'll be such a great help!"

"Alright! I'll finally get praise!" Leon cackled, wagging his tail right in front of Percy's face until my Lucario grabbed it tightly. "Eep! Watch the tail, Percy!"

"Take your own advice, mutt."

Finally stopping, I recalled Leon, Percy, and Eris. While I did the same to Michi and Rubella, Tidus stopped me from sending him back to his Poké Ball using his short arm. He looked at the PC behind us, eyes folding upwards with worry before he turned back to me with a calmer expression. Beneath the serenity, I caught hints of worry in Tidus about something I wasn't aware of yet.

"What's up, Tidus?" I asked him.

"Hynden," he spoke, "I want you to do something before we move any further in our journey."

"Alright, what is it?"

"My sister," Tidus started, looking at the PC again. "I want you to evolve Phoebe. Now, she's still too little to take on our next Gym from what I've heard, but she deserves to live her life and get stronger."

"You're really concerned for that little Sewaddle, aren't you? I get that you've practically taken her as your sister, but how come you're so attached? Ever since we found her as an egg, she's been your number one worry."

"As I've said before, it's a sibling's duty to protect their younger ones. Anyone who doesn't isn't fit to call themselves a real sibling." Tidus looked away from me, his eyes rather sullen and grim as opposed to his calm nature. "And maybe…"

"Maybe what? What aren't you telling me, Tidus? Why are you so worried about Phoebe?"

"Maybe if I keep Phoebe safe and be a good brother to her, I can finally have closure." Tidus' eyes built up with tears, the salted water falling from the lids while he sniffled back morose mucus. "I've never been able to forgive myself for failing my parents and sibling. I-If I'd thought less about myself, then-!"

Tidus gritted his teeth, more tears falling from his eyes as he bowed his head downwards to suppress his pain. The sniffles and sobs were quieted, but nonetheless existent. Feeling worried about my Servine, I knelt down close to him and asked him what happened before. Through sobs, Tidus faced me while wiping away tears and biting his lip.

"I-If you're wondering why I'm so worried about Phoebe, Hynden," Tidus choked, his usually smooth accent now choppy, "it's because of a mistake I can't run from. Phoebe, she's… she's my second chance to be a real sibling."

"Second chance? You had an actually little brother or sister before? What happened to them that's so awful?"

"You could say it was my fault." Tidus cleared his throat, wiping away more tears and blinking to prevent more from falling. "Before I met you, Hynden, I used to live on a Pokémon farm with just my parents. Or, it was just my parents and I until _it_ came along."

"It being some kind of Snivy egg?"

"That's kind of given. Anyways, if you met me back then, you'd be surprised on how different I was than today. I'm not going to lie, I was a bit of an attention-seeking brat with no common sense. So, when that new baby was to come along, I felt jealous. As in, really jealous."

"Oh Arceus, Tidus, did you-?!"

"-Whatever it is you're thinking, I most likely didn't do." Tidus looked away from me, folding his small arms and sitting on the floor as I followed his latter action. "My parents… they trusted me with that egg like it was their lives that depended on it. Of course, my idiotic younger self was too prideful to even do that right!"

"What did you do? What happened to the Egg?"

"I was supposed to stay behind and do nothing but watch the Egg until my mother and father returned. But, I decided that wasn't 'satisfying' and decided to go out and take a break from the stupid little thing. It was bad enough I wanted nothing to do with something that I thought would get me ignored forever."

"You left your unborn sibling behind?! Tidus, didn't you think that was even the least bit irresponsible? Eggs are really fragile!"

"It wasn't responsible at all, but did my younger self care? No. But… there aren't days I wished I had cared about someone besides myself. If I'd been much less selfish, then… then nothing from the nearby forest would have gotten past me and-!"

I remembered Tidus being so composed and collected on a regular basis, but this time, it was as if I'd met an entirely different Servine. While I noticed Tidus was snivelling and trying to fight back his sobs and tears of remorse, his teeth gritting as any cool he tried to keep melted. I hated seeing any of my Pokémon like this, especially considering I didn't want them in the same guilt boat as me.

"Tidus, I…" I hesitated, "I'm not sure what to say. Besides that what happened was awful."

"I know," Tidus agreed, sniffling with sadness. "That's why after seeing how heartbroken my parents were about the accident, I'd only focus on what others' think. How I may feel about something no longer mattered at all."

"Tidus, that's not true. Your feelings on matters are just as important as somebody's else's. I know you feel like you royally messed up, but that's still not a good enough reason to just become someone else's emotional slave."

"Yes, it is. It was my selfish feelings that made the Egg someone other Pokémon's breakfast, so I no longer cared about what I thought about matters. All I care about is doing well for other people's sake, and that's it."

"Okay, I'm definitely with you in regards to doing well for others. But, even _I_ have to take care of myself sometimes to keep out of complete trouble! Don't you think it's a little dangerous to just ignore your own feelings all the time?"

"No, Hynden. All that matters is being concerned about the ones I love. Thinking otherwise would be outright selfish of me."

I attempted to convince Tidus otherwise, but all he did was fold his small arms and look away phlegmatically without listening further. Unfortunately defeated, I hadn't a choice but to take things with a grain of salt until Tidus was ready to listen in the future. He asked me again about Phoebe, to which I accepted the request to make her a Swadloon. Of course, we both decided it wouldn't be immediate due to my want of finding out what the surprise Mom and Dad helped Clay with all this time.

"Good," Tidus said. "And until she's old enough to care for herself, I'll be there to make sure she's safe."

"Don't go overboard with it," I warned Tidus, pointing his Poké Ball at him as the red light enveloped his form. "You're not the only one who's highly concerned about a certain Grass-type."

"You've nothing to worry about, Hynden," Tidus assured me while his body disappeared into the Ball.

"I'm not so sure, Tidus… I'm not so sure."

Shrinking the orb, I linked it back to my belt and left the Pokémon Center. Outside, Haley had been patiently waiting for me with Clay, who, as usual, was getting rather testy from having to stand out and wait. I told them I was ready to go, calling out Leon and hopping onto his back. The orange-and-black fur of my Arcanine warmed my dark green pants and attached purple skirt, my hands gripping onto Leon as I told him to get going.

When Haley and Clay started to walk south, Leon boisterously sprinted forwards with his tongue hanging out. My ponytail flapped backwards in the airy current, yells of discomfort leaving my throat as I tried telling Leon to stop running. Once only me and him were at the southernmost part of town where I recalled being close to where the Cold Storage was. In back of me, I saw a large facility in the Storage's place, my eyes growing wide like the grin stretching on my face.

The dark blue roof was surrounded by a steel frame, the remainder of the arena blocky, yet stable and towering in frame. A red Poké Ball flag on one side and a blue version on the other, the centered flashing screen said "Pokémon World Tournament: Trial Tournament today only!" in big letters.

"Alright, a tournament!" I cheered, clenching my fists as a passionate fire ignited within my heart. "If this is the surprise, then Mom and Pop sure know how to speak my language!"

"How strong do you think the Pokémon entering are?" Leon asked, his tone a bit worried.

"I hope they put up a good fight!" I looked down to see Leon's legs trembling, his face anxious despite the smile. "Aww, don't be scared, Leon! I'll get you all prepared enough to be unstoppable! No one's gonna beat the great future Champion and her team!"

"At least you're as bold as ever, Hynden- I mean, y-yeah!" Leon suddenly bucked up, putting one front paw halfway in the air as he stood boldly. "All that praise and recognition; it's ours! Let's g-go!"

"Wait, there's someone I wanna see first that I haven't in a long time."

I searched around with Leon following, trying to locate the whereabouts of an old friend's remains. When I found nothing despite a thorough search, I started to worry. Something besides my heart pulsed within my chest, the sights around me starting to turn a bright shade of red from reasons only I knew. I tried to calm myself with assuring words that I was guiltless, but my survivor's guilt fought my hope just as strong.

"Hynden, what's going on with you?" Leon asked, getting close to me until I pushed him away.

"I'm f-fine, just don't get close!" I warned him, feeling little jolts at my fingertips. "If… if I can find Lola's grave, I should be okay! Then I'll be guilt free when I see her again!"

I went over to someone on the sidelines who appeared to be an official for the Pokémon World Tournament. No one else seemed to be around the area right then, so he was the nearest person I could confide in for my trouble. He saw how uneasy I was and started talking slowly, ready to be of assistance to me.

"The Cold Storage…" I breathed, trying to pull myself together. "Where… where are all the contents?"

"Oh, the Cold Storage has been demolished for a long time ma'am," he told me, my vision going completely scarlet with astonishment as I felt the Dark Stone's influence distort my emotions. "Everything in it's gone for good."

"G-Gone…? **_Gone?!_"** I nearly screamed, the black aura covering my body as fury amplified my aggression, my hand lunging out and clasping the worker's neck. **"What do you mean 'GONE'?! She'll never forgive me for what I've done if I don't see her!"**

"Err, by th-that, I mean everything's been moved! But, I can't-"

**"-You disturbed Lola?! Bring her back to me right now!"**

"Miss, I'm sorry, but I don't know where the Cold Storage parts are! P-Please, just let me go!"

**"Not until you tell me where Lola is! Make up for violating her grave!"**

"Hynden, he said he doesn't know!" Leon pleaded, trying to intervene. Something overtook my body, making me push Leon away with no remorse and take hold of his Poké Ball. "Hynden, please let him-"

**"Stay out of this!"** I barked as I returned the frightened Leon to his Poké Ball, every last ounce of my will now overtaken by the Dark Stone's influence inside of me. I turned to the official, my visible eye completely bright red and furrowing while my whole body was now surrounded by a strong black aura.

"M-Ma'am, please let me go! I don't mean any-" Ignoring his pleas, I unsheathed Storm's Blade from its skinny scabbard, raising it high without a care or any of my own willpower. "Wh-What are you gonna do with that?!"

**"If you won't let me see my Lola, then you pay the ultimate price!"**

The official didn't have time to scream, instead gagging and forcing out attempts to scream from the long slender blade being thrust into his gut. Laughing madly, I ripped the blade from his body and slammed it down onto the bloodied mess repeatedly. Blood splattered onto my clothes at every strike, my laughter refusing to cease as I kept stabbing and slicing, striking and killing the deceased man. Once I found him to be struck down enough, I looked at the mess of a corpse that was once human, laughing all the more through visions of red and mists of black around my body.

**"It serves you right for keeping me from my friend,"** I hissed, wiping blood from my shadowy brow. **"The next time you mess with me, I'll be sure to-"**

"Hynden! Hynden, are you here?" I heard Haley call from a distance, which made me snap out of my Dark Stone-induced trance.

Every last ounce of dark energy and feelings vanished, my vision becoming clearer until no red remained. Looking around to see what just happened, my eyes stopped below my blood-soaked feet. I dropped my katana and reeled backwards while the metal clanged against the pavement, covering my reddened hands as my racing heart tried to goad me into screaming. I didn't want Haley, Clay, or anyone to see what I'd just done to the murdered worker, so I thought fast. As if luck was actually on my side, I found a cavern entrance nearby and grabbed the worker by his collar after I sheathed Storm's Blade again. When Haley and Clay's voices got closer, I ran as fast as I could before they could see me.

_"Not again, not again, not again!"_ I screamed in my head, guilt and anxiety clashing together as one within. _"If only I'd paid my respects to Lola sooner, then maybe I wouldn't have snapped! Augh, what in Arceus' name am I doing to myself?!"_

Without anybody seeing, I made it into the dark cave. My heart raced as I traversed the rocky terrain, slipping past any and all who might be there. I was a tad more relieved once I was away from the entrance light, ready to dump my horrible cadaver deed anywhere and leave. Just as I found a remote location, a better spot caught my eye. Near a large boulder deeper in the cave was a large hole, where I immediately pushed the corpse in and watched it fall to the unseen bottom with a quiet _THUD_.

"I gotta get rid of everything," I told myself, tossing Michi's Poké Ball upwards until she was in the near-darkness.

"Hiya, Hynden, let's-!" Michi was about to say until I brutally cut her off.

"-Not now, Michi! I need you to spray me with Water Gun!"

"Spray you? Why do you want me to spray you-"

"-No time to explain, just follow orders already! I don't have time!"

"Wowie, it sure sounds urgent if you're rushing me. One Water Gun coming up, boss!"

Swelling up her cheeks, Michi aimed to where I was and fired a shot of cold, aquatic substance at my body. The strength her blast washed off any and all blood on me, my sword's blade as well when I took it out just as Michi finished using her attack. I was drenched from head to toe, soaking with water dripping off my hair and clothes, but I didn't care about that. Looking back only once at the hole of regret, I put Michi back in her Poké Ball and left with a stained conscience of rue when I heard Haley and Clay calling for me outside. With each step I took towards the bright light exit, my heart pounded from insecurities and doubts long that I'd long buried (or so I tried to and believed) for such a long time.

* * *

**Pokémon obtained: **None.

**Badges: **5/8

**Boxed/Unboxed: **None.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I'm also proud to announce I'll be working on a new story that corresponds with my Nuzlocke universe (but Hynden won't be in it). It's just a backstory fic, but I think a lot of you will like it. I'm not saying what it is; that's something you need to discover for yourselves! So, until then and Chapter 23, stay freeeeesh!


End file.
